This is my way of justifying why I believe in life. Why I believe someone shouldn't end it all because of suffering.
It is because I truly believe life is precious.
It's a gift.
This is something I have always believed, but as I've had it challenged, it is truly now something I believe in the marrow of my bones.
I don't want to write this as a rebuttal. I don't want to write this from a "I'm right, you're wrong" stand point. I have no desire to defend myself in this either.
So why am I bothering?
Someone out there needs to know that their own life is precious, it is a gift, it is sacred.
You are treasured, you are loved.
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It's been on the news and blogs everywhere about Brittany Maynard choosing to die on November 1 due to her excruciating battle with cancer.
I can't relate to her struggles on her level, and I'm not going to try. I am, however, going to say how utterly heartbroken I am for her. I pray God comforts her in every moment of her struggle, but more importantly I hope she hears how beautiful she is, how adored she is, and how living her life, no matter how difficult and physically painful it is, will be worth it.
I may not be in her shoes exactly, but I have been at the place of despair, darkness, hopelessness, and pain (physical/emotional/you-name-it pain). I do know what it's like to be thinking that it would be easier to end it all, that the pain is so great it's unbearable, and that my family wouldn't have the burden of me any longer. In a way it does sound brave, noble, and sacrificial.
But that is a lie.
Why? Because when I was in that deep, dark pit I didn't believe in hope. I didn't believe life could get better. I thought that was the end of my rope, and it very well may have been, and I didn't need to keep putting myself through a life of misery.
Hope is more real than anything, and it has taken me not just one, but a few seasons of extreme misery, pain, and hardship to realize how true this is.
In the Bible Paul says in Romans 5:3-4 that "...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Paul, who suffered way more than anyone would want to, still found it possible to say that our sufferings lead to hope. That's the highway. We can't fully appreciate hope without having some amount of suffering.
1Timothy 4:8,10 "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come... This is why... we continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers."
I am a Christian and my suffering is all through a Christian lens. I know if I hadn't gone through those times of hardship, my faith would never be this strong. I also wouldn't have two beautiful little girl faces to greet me every morning. It took people close to me to show me I am loved; that my life was worth living
.
I have learned how much God loves us. Life is His idea, His "thing" if you will. He's all about it. He values it way more than any human ever could. He not only created us and breathed life into our lungs physically, but He also gave us life- a life to be lived. He gave us life, presently on earth and eternal, as a gift and He doesn't want us to waste it or trash it.
Genesis 2:7 "Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person." (emphasis mine)
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (emphasis mine)
And again:
1Timothy 4:8,10 "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come... This is why... we continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers."
God is crazy about life! And not just eternal life (though that's a big deal too) but He cares about our lives on this planet. He sees our suffering and it hurts Him too. He suffered the most of anyone, and He gets it.
I realized through my suffering that God values my life more than I ever could. I so hope I'm not the only one.
This life is stinking hard, no matter who you are or what you're going through. But we don't have to give in to our suffering or let the misery take us down, because if we do we may miss something amazing. We may miss seeing a miracle in our medical diagnosis. We may miss seeing that child we hadn't dare to hope for. Or simply we may miss that extra smile from our kids, watching the sunset one more time, holding our spouse's hand one more time. Because that is nothing to take for granted.
This is why I believe Brittany Maynard should be brave and choose life.
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This song "Not Alone" by Red is so beautiful. If my writing didn't make any sense, I know this song will. :)
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