In honor of National Suicide Prevention Month, I wanted to share some scriptures that I hope will remind you of your incredible identity and value in Jesus Christ!

Self-love is a common buzzword nowadays when it comes to taking care of oneself. But what does it really mean to love yourself? Can you love yourself when you have done something unloveable? Can you love yourself when you are rejected by others? If your center is in Someone who is steady and unchanging, then the answer is a resounding yes!

Speak these scriptural truths aloud. Print them out and paper your walls with them. They apply to YOU. They were planned out for YOU before the beginning of time by Someone who cares for you deeply.

1. The all-powerful God of the universe loves you, and His opinion is the only one that matters.

Isaiah 51:11-16:

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Maybe you feel misunderstood by the person in your life who is supposed to love you the most. Maybe you have an oppressor whose sole purpose in life seems to be to make yours miserable. God asks the question: “who are you to feel scared and forget me?” The one who stretched forth the heavens is the same one whose spirit lives within our hearts. He calls us his people and protects us every day. Every enemy will one day pass away and be as nothing. Until then, remember, you are covered.

2. Impossible circumstances or our own failures can not totally distance us from God.

Romans 8:24-39:

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Is your spirit groaning in agony? Struggling to see a better future? We may not be able to see the path ahead, but we do know that good things are in store for us as God’s children. It can be harder to believe in our access to temporal blessings at times than spiritual blessings because we know theoretically that God exists. But if we believe that he gave his Son for our sake, then we know how much God cares for us. We know all he is capable of doing. This life cannot separate us from the free gift of his love. Because of Christ’s victory, we are empowered to live boldly in the glory of his statutes. We are able to be an encouragement to others.

3. God’s fulfilled promises in the past prove that he will help us to stand in this life.

Psalm 56:8-13:

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

God has obtained our eternal salvation. Yet he still cares about every cry that we utter down here. He is willing and able to intervene on our behalf, for every slip-up and struggle that we face. Even if it feels like help is absent for a moment, ultimately, this verse proves that we will finish our earthly race through his providence and protection.

4. You are beautifully and intentionally created, and redeemed.

1 Corinthians 6:20: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Psalm 139:14-18:

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Where is the word “worthless” in these verses? Where is “ugly?” Where is “forgotten?” Where is “stupid?” Where is “alone?” When you are down on yourself, you insult God’s creation. Don’t insult God’s beloved. That is Satan’s plan, not God’s. You have a purpose. There is a time to die, and the breath that remains in your lungs lets you that God has decided that your time is not now. You are his. You belong.

Jesus says of the devil in John 8:43-44 (emphasis added): “…he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Our God is not a liar. Our God is not a killer. Our God is a God who tends his sheep and saves the lost (Matthew 18:11).

Now is the time to act. Pray to him. Even if you don’t have the words. Know that he will carry you and hold you close.
Be kind to others. Be vocal about what you appreciate about other people. It is so easy for us to lose our focus, but just remember, our God majors in hopeless cases. It is my prayer that you remember what talents and gifts God has blessed you with, and that you use them in thankfulness to further his kingdom.

If you have a friend that you think is amazing and loved who might appreciate a reminder, feel free to share this post! Also, I would love to hear any other scriptures or sayings that have helped you overcome feelings of discouragement in the comments below!