When I was a freshman in college at UK there was a pastor at a local church who committed suicide. I had friends at school who attended that church. Everyone was totally caught off guard. How could this happen? He was the pastor! He should have been more joyful and full of life than anyone. And yet Satan got to him and twisted his mind. It can happen to any of us.
Chemical imbalances in the brain...
Depression...
Getting bullied at school...
Feeling like there's no reason to live...
These are just some of the reasons suicidal thoughts can creep up in our minds.
So what reasons does God give to us that we should not commit suicide?
First, he loves us dearly.
As far as I can tell many teenagers struggle with suicide because they feel like no one cares about them or loves them. In a cruel and unloving world we each need to remind ourselves daily that God has a never-ending, deep, passionate, and sympathetic love for us. He never stops pursuing us.
Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us."
God loves us so much that he was willing to lead his own Son to the cross. And on the cross God showed a love that is almost impossible to fathom.
Isaiah 53:10 - "Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him."
God poured out the full measure of his wrath and punishment onto his own Son - who didn't deserve an ounce of it - who had only ever obeyed his Father perfectly - so that we could have a chance to live eternally with him in heaven.
God's love is not just some warm feeling he has for you. It's not because he's very, very nice to us. God's love is clear because he was willing to hand out the most severe punishment imaginable to his own Son for us.
Second, he has a purpose for our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
What is that purpose? Well it can vary from person to person. But one thing you can be sure of... you were created to put forth God's image into the world.
Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."Each one of us has been created in the image of God with the express purpose of shining out that image to the rest of the world. Suicide cuts God's plans for you short. Suicide stops you from being the person you were created to be.
Third, you still have work to do here.
If God hasn't taken you yet, you've still got work to do for him in the world.
Paul compared life and death in Philippians 1:23-25...
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.Paul was in prison when he wrote this. Circumstances were horrible for him. While he might not have been thinking about killing himself he was at least thinking about death and the great paradise with God that awaited him.
But he knew that our lives are in God's hands. God decides when we live or die. And if we're still alive it means we have work to do.
A Couple Last Words...
If you are not a Christian and you are contemplating suicide, let me encourage you to instead consider turning your life over to Jesus as the answer to your problems. Without Jesus, I must admit, there would be very little purpose to my life. With him, the suffering and pain and frustration are all still there, but my purpose on earth and the hope of heaven make it all worth it!
If you are a Christian and are struggling with thoughts of suicide, I hope the Scriptures mentioned above will help. However I will leave you with one more passage that has always lifted me up in times of depression. Numbers 6:24-26...
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.That's my prayer.
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