Zoraya ter Beek is a 28-year-old Dutch woman who is opting for euthanasia due to her mental health struggles. The Netherlands has made euthanasia legal since 2001; however, it has been growing in popularity in recent years. Doctors and psychiatrists are relating this to the influx of social trends, financial issues, and ongoing problems with the world. As Christians, when we look at such news, it breaks our hearts.
Despite being physically healthy, Zoraya ter Beek struggles with depression, borderline personality disorder, and autism. After her psychiatrist told her there was no chance of her getting better, she chose euthanasia. She would rather end her life than carry on with the struggles of her mental health concerns. As someone who also struggles with many mental illnesses, I can attest that it is more so that we want the pain to end—not necessarily for our lives to end.
While I cannot speak for Zoraya ter Beek, it does seem that her psychiatrist has given her a grave diagnosis, one of which she cannot cope with. It is not surprising that she feels there is no way out except to end her own life. Zoraya ter Beek is planning to end her life in April 2024 in her own living space with her boyfriend. Nothing has been said directly as to how her boyfriend feels; however, there needs to be someone speaking up.
As I mentioned, most of the time, when it comes to those of us who struggle with mental health concerns, we don't truly want to die—we just want the pain to stop. It is important to recognize this difference, especially for those who are considering euthanasia. It is understandable and valid that your pain is unbearable, but ending your life is not the answer.
Zoraya ter Beek has reported that she is slightly afraid of life after death because it is facing the unknown. This might be an uncertainty for many people, but the Bible tells us there is life after death (John 11:25-26; Matthew 10:28; Philippians 3:20-21; Luke 23:42-43). Everyone’s bodies will die, yet our souls will live on. We will either go to heaven or hell based on whether we place faith in Jesus or not. There is no uncertainty when it comes to life after death when you turn to the Bible.
Standing before God will be a terrifying experience for unbelievers. If a person stands before God without the redemption of Jesus, they will go to hell. It is not that God sends them to hell, but rather, they send themselves to hell for rejecting Jesus. All people have been given the opportunity to place faith in Jesus. However, they have to freely place faith in Jesus to be saved.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). A person cannot be saved apart from placing faith in Him. Once a person places faith in Jesus, they are given forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life (John 3:16-17; Acts 4:12; Titus 3:5). However, those who do not place faith in Jesus will stand condemned. They have not been given forgiveness, salvation, or eternal life because they chose to reject the Lord.
Life is not something that we should treat haphazardly. We are only given one life on this earth, and we must do our best with what we are given. Life is a beautiful gift given to us by God. Yes, there will be extremely difficult times, but there will also be beautiful times. If you are considering euthanasia, think of all of the beautiful things. The places you want to go, the friends you want to see, or the beauty of simple things, like the smell of coffee, the colors of autumn leaves, or the laughs of children.
Think about these things rather than your pain. Joy and pain can co-exist, yet joy will always be stronger. Paul gives us a guideline on what we should set our minds on, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
All of your pain is seen, heard, and valid. In the deepest parts of my struggles with mental health, I felt like I needed to show my pain by hurting my body. Friend, let me share with you that you don’t need to hurt your body to show your pain. This is also true regarding euthanasia. At times, it feels as though we have to die for people to take us seriously, but this is not the way to go. All of your pain, feelings, and struggles are valid without other people's affirmation.
But Jesus sees you. He affirms your pain and wants to burden it for you. If you have never known Jesus, you can get to know Him today. With the Lord, there is forgiveness, joy, hope, peace, and love. No matter what you are facing today, know that the Lord will help you. Your pain, your troubles, and your doubts can all be taken to the Lord. He will carry these burdens for you to run free (Matthew 11:28-30).
Give all of the hard feelings over to Jesus and trust them with Him. You can trust Him. Life will still get difficult at times, but once you know Jesus, everything will pale in comparison to Him. When you feel alone, scared, or unloved, Jesus will surround you with His love. He will always walk by your side and give you strength (Psalm 23).
Jesus died in order for us to have an abundant life (John 10:10). This life wasn’t meant to be lived in agony or pain. All of the negative things that happen in the world are due to sin. Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, there has been sin in the world. One day God will fix what we broke and create a New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21).
There will be no more pain, crying, or death in the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:4). If times are looking hard now, think of the future. Think about all of the beautiful things that will be fulfilled. There are so many wonderful things yet to come. Reflect on these things when you are feeling depressed, overwhelmed, or anxious about the future.
Your life is precious. God created you uniquely (Psalm 139:13-16). He loves you as you are, and He wants you to come to know Him. Don’t feel ashamed and fall for the lie that you are too far gone. That lie is from the enemy, who only wants death and destruction. But the Lord loves you, and He will welcome you home with open arms (Luke 15:11-32). Run to Him today and know that He will never turn you away.
If you want to place faith in Jesus today, you can. If you believe that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again, repent of your sins and commit your life to Him (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Turn to Him today and place faith in Him. Take Him as your Savior and start learning more about Him. Life doesn’t have to end today—this can be the beginning. As Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death" (John 8:51)
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