It's a Wonderful Life

I've been meaning to write another post for some time now, actually since Christmas, but I just haven't been feeling well at all. I have had an awful series of migraines since Christmas and just haven't felt up to much. This post would have been much more suited to being posted in December, but I decided to post it now anyway because it's still on my mind.

Shortly befor Christmas, we watched the movie It's A Wonderful Life, as we often do, because it's one of my favourite Christmas movies. Here's a clip from it.

 

If you're not familiar with the movie, it's about a businessman, George Bailey who is disillusioned with life and thinks that he is worth more dead than alive, that his family would be better off without him and considers suicide. God sends an angel, by the name of Clarence Oddbody to show him this isn't true.

In one of the scenes, Clarence allows George to see what the world would be like if George had never been born. It's a much different place.

This is the reason that I like this movie so much. It reminds me that each of us has our place in this world and that God has placed us here for a purpose. When I was younger, I struggled a lot with depression (and thoughts of suicide) though most people who knew me at the time would not have known it. It is amazing the amount of hurt a person can cover up behind a smile. I often thought that no one would notice if I wasn't around and felt absolutely alone in the midst of a crowd.

I didn't have a Clarence Oddbody to show me that my life made a difference to a lot of people. I did (and still do) have an amazing God who stood by me and helped me walk through each day, sometimes one hour at a time, reminding me that He was with me and that He had a purpose for me. If I killed myself, I would not be able to fulfill God's purpose, which would be the wrong thing to do - and I did not want to face Him at His throne with that to answer for. It would give Satan a victory and it would be a brutal thing to do to my family. Of all those things it was the sin it would be that stopped me, because I wanted to come before God's throne and hear Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant" and I knew He couldn't say that if I committed suicide. 

If you have feelings like this, you don't need to be alone. There is help. Here are a few places you can go to for help. Click on the link and it will take you to the website:

What is the Answer

Suicide Prevention Centre of BC

Canadian Mental Health Association

Remember what Clarence said to George:
"You've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away."