Fear of Death

There are few actualities more certain than the fact that one day we will all breathe our last.  The subject strikes fear in some while others hardly acknowledge it. Still, some of us will greet death without fear when our time comes.  What are the factors that separate those who fear death from those who have no fear?  In what ways can we prepare ourselves for this ultimate eventuality and how can we work to overcome the fear that comes with it?

I am going to present examples of three different people.  The first has an unhealthy fear of death, the second hardly acknowledges it, and the third will welcome it in it’s time.

Person 1

This example happens to be someone who I am close to and who I care for greatly.  She is also the inspiration for writing this article.

This person has a profound love for her family.  I believe that the greatest contributing factor to her fear of death is the separation that would occur if she or one of her loved ones passed.  So she is on the front lines of almost every threat, real or imagined, trying to prevent this day from ever arriving.  I believe that she feels it her responsibility to do this and I am quite certain that if she were to lose a loved one, she would bear that same responsibility on herself.  The stress that overwhelms her keeps her up at night.  Her fear of death and the stress caused by it may eventually lead to stress induced illnesses and ultimately reduce her time with us.  She is also quite likely aware of this possibility and simultaneously feeds a vicious cycle of fear.

Person 2

This person is self employed.  He works long hours at the office and continues to work when he arrives home.  His goal is to build his business and to make a lot of money.    He is constantly searching for ways to build wealth.  He is always renovating and maintaining properties that he owns.  He has taken on so much that he can hardly recognize most every days joys.  He doesn’t seem to give much thought to the fact that he will one day leave all of his financial enterprises and all of his belongs behind.

Person 3

This person lives a simple life.  He works hard but he balances his responsibilities.  He centres his life around God and family.  He knows that life is short and so appreciates all of life’s blessings.  He is humble.  He recognizes that everything he treasures has been given to him.  He realizes that every breath of his and that of each of his family members and friends is given.  He lives in this world but is not of this world, so when his time here on earth has come to an end he can rejoice in knowing that he will enter a new life with God.  He does not fear death because he is promised that he will not die.  He is comforted when he loses like-spirited family and friends to death because he knows that they will be reunited.  He is a Christian

In what ways can Person 1 prepare themselves for death?

1. Realize that stressing about death will not benefit you.  Matthew 6:27 Says: which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  Notice that this scripture doesn’t say that the anxiety will not reduce his span of life.
2. Let your burden go.  It is not for you to carry and in fact it has already been carried.
3. Accept the Gift of Life, find comfort and defeat death.  John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
4. Share the Gift with others so that when their time comes you can take comfort in knowing that they will never truly die.  In this way you can look forward to your reunion with those who you have lost.  John 11:25-26 says: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”   1 Thessalonians 4:13 says: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

In what ways can Person 2 prepare themselves for death?

1. Adjust your focus in this life.  Matthew 6:19 says: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  Matthew 19:24 says: Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
2. Treasure the important things like family, they are given by God.  James 1:17 says: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
3. Accept the Gift of Life and share it

 

Accepting Christ is the only way to defeat death and to find comfort in it.  He is the only way to enter heaven.  Without Him what hope is there?  Those of us who live life for Christ have no fear of death because we are promised an eternity of happiness.  We realize that when we leave this world we will never again have to suffer any of the evils of this world.  We will reunite with those believers lost before us and those who come after.  With promises like these, we can remove the fear and mystery revolving around death and live this life fully.