not sure if god exists

This is a question without an answer. I have asked the same one myself. I once had an unsuccessful attempt and since have had a freak bicycle accident that almost took me. Neither would have been a solution as I would still have had sufficient consciousness to know what i did. Have learned to love many things in life that I previously took for granted. Best wishes on you journey many of us have been down that road.

A rhetorical question; cannot be definitively answered until we all meet our 'Maker'...

That is an excellent question, and if you find out the answer please feel free to share it. The best I can say is that fear of the sin of suicide has often kept me from committing the act, and when the latest storm clouds pass over I am glad to still be alive. I'll say a prayer for you.

I would like to think that if there is a God, he or she wouldn't damn someone for committing suicide. I don't think God rewards anyone either.

I can't pretend to know the answers, but as a Christian I do believe that Scripture upholds endurance in suffering. This does not minimize or trivialize the pain that any of us may face, but I find in my own life that the presence of Christ brings peace.

I wouldn't use the word "cheerful" maybe positive. I do believe that you are rewarded in some way if you endure through your pain and never forgetting about God. Sometimes you reward can be that you become closer to God and maybe after you are done suffer you live a different life in which you are much happier than you were with your old life. That's what I think. What I have noticed is that my depression has brought me closer to God. I don't blame God for what I am going through, neither do I ask why me. I just know that this happening for a reason which I cannot understand, so I will not doubt God or curse him

lonelystar26: Do you believe sustained positivity and depression can exist in the same space simultaneously?

Here is what I know:

Matthew 12:30-32New Living Translation (NLT)
30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.
31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.

So, you see, these words, spoken by Jesus, himself, tells that there is only one sin that will not be forgiven here on earth or in heaven. That is "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit". Not suicide.

But, suicide is such a permanent answer to a temporary problem. Believe me, it might not seem temporary right now....but, in the overall picture.....

and, "society" makes up the rules that we accept. Don't let them do that to you!

Can we talk?

I am always amazed by people who talk about a loving God, just before they launch into a discussion about things that God will never forgive us for.

I believe that God can see into the very essence of our being, and that there really is nothing that God has not seen before. If I couple this with the idea of a merciful God, then I believe that there is forgiveness and understanding waiting for us.

Having said all of that, please talk to us about what is on your mind.

Amen to what Pepperman says.

Its during the hard times in our life that we are supposed to take "rest" in Gods promise that He will never leave or forsake us. If we take a position of Faith during these times He does reward us. Get your mind off yourself. look around you, thank Him for all you have because there is ALWAYS someone out there who has less. Get your mind off yourself and see what you can do for others. its the best therapy there is

mal66: Yes, I do believe there can be, but it can be hard to be positive at first and be hopeful.

If you believe in God, and are willing to consider the Abrahamic faith to be 'true' then yes. God certainly does reward the cheerful sufferer. That's the ENTIRE point of the book of Job.

Despair is one of the seven deadlly sins for which you burn in eternal hell. It indicates that you not only don't know what God's purpose for you is, but also you don't think He knows what He's doing, so you're going to gazump Him, flip him the bird and tell him He's a giant tard.

If you do NOT consider there to be any gods or whatever out there, then killing yourself is merely stupid. Stupid, mean, nasty and horrible. Self-obsessed, egotistical. I tend to think that anyone who actually goes ahead and kills themself, (not just thinks about it) is a giant asshole and the world's a better place without them.

And I think it's fair that this point of view gets put out there. Suicide is a nasty thing to do to the people left behind.

I do believe there is a God - a supreme deity, higher power, etc.; whatever one chooses to call him (or her) - I do not subscribe to the belief that He punishes/condemns us to eternal damnation for any sins we commit - even suicide...it is my belief that our own guilt & inability to forgive ourselves is what condemns us.