Finding Hope When You Think “I Want to End My Life”

By Janet Perez Eckles:

When someone says, “I want to end my life,” how do you help her?

I swallowed hard. Her despair was evident. The sudden death of her son had been all over the news. And the fact she reached out to me put me on my knees for wisdom.

“How do you live,” she paused, then exhaled a long breath. “I mean, how do you go on with life after this pain?”

Her distress was so familiar to me. I had lost my own son just months prior. The perpetrator who had murdered my son was set free. At first, sorrow and rage had threatened to consume me.

I met with her to offer what help I could, and hugged her. “I know. I know your heartache.” I said. Gulping the lump in my throat, I handed her a tissue. “The only one who helped me was Jesus. In fact, He’s the only one who helps me now. . . moment by moment.”

“Don’t know,” she said between sobs. “Sometimes I want to end my life, but don’t know how.”

I suppressed a gasp. Ending her life would begin a life of sorrow and anguish for her other children, her family and loved ones. Her grief had blinded her from seeing the purpose, the value and treasure she was in God’s eyes.

Since I had seen first-hand the other side of heartache, I knew thoughts like “I want to end my life” were never the answer. In fact, nothing seems to be the answer, to be enough or sufficient. But God says in the Bible, when we’re weak with pain:

My grace is sufficient for you…” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

“Think of your other children,” I said. I detailed my journey of how I believed In God’s promise. To let go. To release that pain and anguish directly to Him.

I assured her that God understands when we’re angry, when we’re mad at Him, even when we question His Word. Still, He’s still faithful. He’s still loving and He’s still powerful enough to heal that heartache.  And if you exchange your thoughts of “I want to end my life” for “I want to begin with Jesus,” it will open the door to a new start, a new perspective, and a desire to receive the peace only He can give.

Here’s a video which I hope offers you additional encouragement: