This week, Saturday 6th March, is our monthly Running In The Gap (RITG) event. We warmly invite you to Run with us, Walk with us, Stand with us in prayer for all those affected by suicide.
Here’s a reminder from the World Health Organisation.
Protective factors for suicide include:
-Strong personal relationships
-Religious or spiritual beliefs
-lifestyle practice of positive coping strategies and wellbeing
(Source: Preventing Suicide: a global imperative. Geneva: World Health Organisation (WHO) 2014)
At RunningSpace, our Walk2Run groups are set in Christian communities which help build ‘stronger personal relationships’. We connect with other services and clinicians to encourage ‘lifestyle practices of positive coping strategies and wellbeing.’
But how about the 3rd element, the religious or spiritual beliefs?
Running In The Gap is our expression of our faith and ‘spiritual beliefs’. The battle to beat suicide is ultimately a spiritual one, and so we are called to pray, interceding for people who are suffering. How is it done? I found this really helpful.
‘How to pray effectively for others who are in need of help but who are unable or unwilling to pray for themselves is called standing in the gap. Standing in the gap is a form of intercessory prayer where our prayers bridge the gap between God and people who are cut off from God’s helping presence. When we stand in the gap in prayer, we pray for God’s help, mercy, intervention and/or forgiveness on the behalf of individuals, groups of people or nations.’ How to Stand in the Gap in Prayer | Prayer Ideas
As a suicide survivor myself, I can testify to being in a place where I was unable to pray for myself. My mind and emotions were truly f*****! But I know there were several (many?) people praying for me when I could not. As well as caring for me, keeping me safe, providing practical and emotional support, I was prayed for, and it was effective.
I am a beginner in prayer, which is one reason this post has been quite hard to write, but there are others at RunningSpace who are much more advanced than me, and I enjoy learning from them. If like me you don’t know what to say, you can use this prayer declaration, it’s a great starting point.
Please join us this Saturday 6th March to Run In The Gap for people affected by suicide. Let’s remember before God those who are unable to pray for themselves.
Come and run with us, it might just save a life…
2 Responses
Thank you Jacky. Really said well and insightful.
Bless you. Steve.
I am so gutted that I cannot do running in the gap on Saturday the 6th as this is close to my heart but I will be praying from home and will be with you all in spirit. 🙏