A young woman is high up on the edge of a building, threatening to jump off. Superman comes in and (after promising not to use his powers to take her to safety against her will) tries to talk her out of taking her own life. I won't relay the whole story, but I would like to share a quote from it.
A friend of mine, many years ago, took her life. She was terminally ill, every day was an agony, and she decided one day that she knew -- knew without question -- that she would never have another happy day. And she... Well, I guess you could say that she checked out early.
I understood. I didn't approve. I still don't. But I understood.
If you honestly believe, in your heart of hearts, that you will never, ever have another happy day... Then step out into the air. I'll keep my promise. I won't stop you.
But if you think there's a chance -- no matter how small -- that there might be just one more happy day out there -- Then take my hand.
And she did.
I love this story on a number of levels. I love that Superman cared as much about helping this young woman as he did about saving her life. I love that he's a man of his word, and that he wouldn't break his promise, even to save a life. I love how the story shows that Superman isn't just a superhero - He's a good man.
Then, of course, I also love the message.
I don't think anyone reading this blog is struggling with thoughts of suicide, but just in case you are, or just in case you feel hopeless sometimes, consider what Superman said, "If you think there's a chance, no matter how small, that there might be just one more happy day out there, then take my hand."
I promise that there can be another happy day in your life. I know that God loves us and cares about each of us. He wants us to be happy. He knows that life is hard, and He respects our decisions, whatever we choose. But He can see the future, even when we can't. He can change the future. He's preparing lives of joy for everyone who's willing to take His hand and follow Him.
He knows you face hardship, and He knows that you'll continue to face hardship as you follow Him (or anyone else, for that matter), but if you follow Him, He promises that you'll never have to face that hardship alone. He'll be with you. He'll comfort you. He'll protect you from the worst of it, and He'll help you to be strong and find ways to persevere.
God's ultimate desire is for our Eternal Happiness. The only way to get there is through mortality, and mortality can sometimes be hard. He knows that. He knows how hard life can be, and He wants to be there to help us, but we need to let Him in first.
If you ever feel hopeless, please pray. Ask for God to enter your heart and help you carry on. He will. I promise that He will. I promise that there are happier days ahead for each of us, if we follow God's path for us to get to them. I pray that we may all have the faith to take His hand and follow Him.
2 comments:
Very good post Andrew. And it could work for some people. For those with mental illness God is furthest from their minds. No matter how much you talk to them, get them help, the only thing in their mind is to stop the suffering they are feeling. I know that first hand. Your post works for most but for a few its only words that they can't articulate in their minds. Thanks for the post Andrew.
I think this is a beautiful post. I like the Superman story. And I love your thoughts. I also love that it doesn't have to apply to those who are suicidal, as you point out, it applies to those who are facing challenges, feeling overwhelmed or depressed. Beautiful message. :)
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