In the first 155 days of 2012, there are 154 reported cases of suicide among military personnel. That’s 11% more cases than was reported in over the same period in 2011. And according to one report, “That’s 50% more troops than were killed in action in Afghanistan, and the highest suicide toll in the U.S. military since 9/11.”
The exact causes for such rise in suicides are not readily known, but many factors that could lead to them have been proposed. Many seek to discover how to help keep these suicides from happening. Rajiv Srinivasan, himself a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, suggests that the “biggest barrier to preventing suicide among our service members and veterans is countering the disciplined self-reliance that they’ve been trained to embrace.” He explains: “Over the course of a soldier or officer’s training, we inculcate in them a vicious and emotional resistance to weakness; a persistence and confidence to overcome any obstacle, even the prospect of fatal combat.” This is important in the battlefield. But when the soldier comes home, and begins to experience, for example, post-traumatic stress syndrome, this self-reliance somehow prevents him from seeking help. And when the stress and depression reaches extreme levels, the self-reliant soldier takes matters in his own hands and makes his own solution. Tragically, many choose suicide as a solution.
Self-reliance is important. We do need to develop competence in basic skill sets in order to fulfill tasks and to function in life. But self-reliance is not everything; it has its limits. One must also learn to recognize that one is not in control of everything. At some point, we will need others. In fact, authentic competence includes the recognition that we do need others. Otherwise, we will soon break down.
The apostle Paul, with so much that is credited to him in the ministry of the gospel, never thought of himself as completely self-reliant. First and foremost, he declared: “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3.4–5 ESV). Then, in the book of Acts and in Paul’s letters we come across names of people who helped him in one way or another—Ananias, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Priscilla, Aquila, Epaphras, Epaphroditus, and many more.
The ultimate source of Paul’s strength in his endeavors and ministry was none other than the Lord. He also acknowledged his dependence on “fellow workers” and “partners” in the gospel. God created us to be relational beings. The fullness of our being is realized in relationships.
—Keith Jainga