7 reasons for hope instead of suicide

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Almost everyone I know has been through a period in their lives where hopelessness led them to consider suicide as an escape. We know the terrible pain and anguish of soul—brought from the past to torment us in the present—with nothing to be seen in the future but more suffering and more pain. We know how overwhelming suicidal thoughts swirl round and down unstoppable until there is no other possible way out. We survived, we made it, and so can you. Here is how…

7 reasons for hope instead of suicide

1) You are not unique — Even if you feel all alone, there are 7,500,000,000+ people living on this planet, and thousands and millions of them are going through the same situation as you. Many of them are feeling the same pain as you. Some of them will choose life and some of them will choose suicide.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

2) Accepting the past — The past doesn’t exist any more, it is past. Everything that happened in the past stayed there, you don’t live there any more. You live in the present. All that you have left of the past are memories. Some memories are stronger than others. Some memories are more hurtful than others. But, memories of fretting, guilt, self-pity, discouragement, or regrets about what might have been cannot change the past. When you let go of those memories, the past will evaporate like a bad dream.

God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

3) God of hope — One of the most amazing titles of God is found in Romans 15:13, “The God of Hope”. He wants to “fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope”. If there is anything worth hanging onto in moments of overwhelming anguish, it has to be The God of Hope.

4) Accepting the present — We get it. The overwhelming feelings of hopelessness that cause suicide are awful. But, even if it seems impossible, there is a way out. No matter how bad it is, there is a way to change the present. It’s going to take work to change the present. It’s going to be hard. Maybe the hardest thing you’ve ever done. And, you may need a guide because there aren’t any signposts in the distance. But, it is possible, and it is worth doing. So get up and get out and change something. Don’t fall into the same habits with the same friends that drag you down. Start doing something worthwhile even if you don’t feel like it.

We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 1:3 GWT)

In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” (Acts 20:35)

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

5) Accepting the future — The future doesn’t exist yet; it is still in the future. Nothing that could possibly happen in the future has happened yet, it is the future. Everything in the future is really just imaginary, you don’t live there yet. Some imaginations are stronger than others. Some imaginations are more vivid than others, most imaginations are the result of learned responses to stimuli. These responses have become so ingrained and so automatic that they are like a second nature. You are going to have to work to change. Like learning to walk all over again. But, when you let go of those imaginations, the fear of the future will evaporate like a temporary daydream.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34)

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT)

6) God has a plan for your life — One of the most amazing descriptions of God is found in 1 John 4:16, “God is love.” A loving God doesn’t cause any of the pain and suffering in your life, but he can lovingly help you grow into a better person in spite of the trials. If you quit now by suicide, you will never know what he might have had waiting for you right around the corner. Are you curious? Choose life.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. (Psalm 40:5)

7) Help is available — Almost every good church in almost every city has trained counselors who can help you find hope instead of suicide. You can walk into any Godly church for love, support, and help during the worst crisis of your life. If not, they are not following the teaching of Jesus Christ, and you should flee from them. Only the Bible provides any real hope for a changed life. Only the Bible helps all things be made new. Only the Bible has a plan to become a new creation. If you, or a loved one, are burdened with these thoughts, please contact us for a referral to Christian counselors in your area.

These favorite verses have given comfort and hope to millions of Christians for thousands of years

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. (Psalm 4:8)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, (Psalm 23:1-4)

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah (Psalm 46:1-3)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
(Psalm 121)

But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; (Isaiah 59:1)

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5)

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

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One Reply to “7 reasons for hope instead of suicide”

  1. Suicide, at 50-year peak, pushes down US life expectancy

    “These sobering statistics are a wake-up call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC’s director, said in a statement.

    The suicide death rate last year was the highest it’s been in at least 50 years, according to U.S. government records. There were more than 47,000 suicides, up from a little under 45,000 the year before.