When people feel hopeless and powerless regarding their situation in life, there are those among them that will begin thinking that maybe suicide is the answer. It’s not.
Those who contemplate suicide believe that it may provide a way of escape from their misery. They usually think this is so because they have adopted at least one of a number of false assumptions. For this reason, anyone who gives suicide consideration needs to think carefully about their assumptions.
One common assumption that a person considering suicide can make is that God will understand this solution to their problems. But the sixth commandment tells us that we shall not murder, and this includes self-murder. God is the one who numbers our days, and in the days he gives us we are to cultivate our lives as we seek Him and trust Him through every trial.
Another assumption that people thinking about suicide will make is that those who are left behind will not miss them. But the truth is suicide leaves a huge hole in the lives of those left behind. Not only does it bring grief and sorrow, but it brings a void when it comes to all that the one who commits suicide had to offer. Every opportunity to share love with that mother, father, brother, or sister is gone.
It’s frequently assumed that suicide will end one’s problems. But this is not a valid assumption to make. Suicide does not end one’s existence. It only brings one into the presence of God prematurely. Being so, it is wrong to assume that suicide will be a way to peace when the last act of this life was one of unbelief.
One common reason people are driven to take their own lives is guilt. They know they have done wrong and feel continually condemned. Or, they feel trapped by a habit that brings them shame, and think that suicide is the only solution. But suicide is not what God calls for to atone for our guilt. He sent his Son to pay the penalty for our sins so that in Him we would have no condemnation.
Those who consider suicide seriously do not arrive at that point overnight. It comes upon them over time and appears as the conclusion of a life that has become a depressing downward spiral. But those who are at this point must be encouraged to see that the downward spiral can be reversed.
God often uses pain and a sense of despair to get our attention. It’s an indication that our present focus and way of coping is inadequate, and that it’s time for a new focus and foundation for life.
At the center of this change is Jesus Christ. This change is realized as we turn from our self-obsession to His abundant love – a love that forgives and provides new life (2 Cor. 5:17).
Turning to Him in this way does not mean your life will be without problems. But it does mean that you will have the resources in Him to cope, grow, and move beyond them.
While Satan seeks to destroy those who are made in God’s image, the Lord Himself provides abundant life to all who call upon His name. For those who are tempted by suicide, this is a message of hope. It reveals that God has provided a way of escape from despair and the promise of a new life. All that needs to be done to begin to receive this promise is to submit to Him in faith and trust.
This is God’s answer for those who see no way out.
