Overcoming Fear of Dying

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

We all face the inevitable: dying and death.  But fear of dying, or losing loved ones, interferes with our joy and peace.  We need to live and enjoy life to the fullest.  This is what God wants us to do.  But when we are afraid it drags us down: it steals our joy, it drains our energy, and can even make time seem to go faster.  I believe time goes faster when we worry because we don't take in all the things we have to enjoy, such as the sunlight, trees, and children playing.  We get so focused on the worry that we miss the beauty of life.  

We cannot deny that death brings up practical issues for the person leaving and for those who are left behind.  How will a family survive emotionally or financially without their leader?  "Who will take care of my children?" people wonder.  Although these are important concerns, they should never be worries.  God has promised to take care of us each moment of our lives.  If we pray to him, he will show us his plan to take care of all our needs.  Maybe we need to purchase some insurance or reach out to friends and family to help us to cope with a loss.  God will lead each step of the way.

We do not need to let the practical concerns preoccupy us and interfere with the glory of living.  My father was 79 years old when he passed away.  Years before his death, I began to worry about his passing.  I thought I could not handle it emotionally if he were to depart.  Interestingly enough, the night he went to heaven, it was just the opposite.  I was sitting in the hospital lounge while my Mom and sister were in the room with him.  The doctors had told us his situation did not look good.  I had a feeling it was time for him to go.  While I was sitting there in the lounge, I began to sense a feeling of peace or bliss that I sometimes get when I think about God.  Something told me that my Dad had gone home to heaven.  

Soon, my sister returned to the lounge with the chaplain to break the news.  I already knew.  And God gave me peace about it.

Now, I feel silly for all the time I spent worrying about Dad going home.  God gave me the grace to handle his departure when I needed it, not before.  If I had trusted the Lord more in the time before his going, I would have enjoyed my life more.  So I encourage you not to let worry steal your joy of living.  We all need to make plans for leaving this earth, so let's go ahead and make them, and not allow the inevitable to interfere with our love of life.  

Remember, “Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'”   If we accept Jesus as Lord, we will live forever and have an overflowing life on earth.  God's grace will be with you when you need it, so thank God for his goodness.

The Ultimate Reason Not to Worry: God Is Good

"For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations." - Psalms‬ 100:5‬ 

Why is worry bad for your health?

When you worry, you lose sleep, your concentration suffers and you become unable to enjoy time with family and friends. Your fear factor increases, and this can interfere with your quality of life. Some common fears are fear of death and dying, fear of failure, and fear of rejection.

The Importance of Trust

No matter what you are going through, whether it is terminal illness, being rejected for a job or a business opportunity or a spider infestation in your house, that situation is part of God's goodness for your life. Often when we go through difficulties, we ask "Why is this happening to me? What am I going to do?" We need to turn these questions into, "Lord, I trust you!"

When we worry, we forget that the Lord is good. Our minds get used to worrying. And when we worry too much, we forget to trust. But the Lord is good. He knows all of your needs, including your need to believe in Him. You can pray, "Lord, help me to trust you more." You can know he will help you to do this because he wants you to trust him. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” What could be more pleasing to God than a prayer to trust in his will?

A Johns Hopkins study once found that worriers die sooner than non-worriers. When commenting on the Hopkins study, Dr. E. Stanley Jones, the author of "Transformed by Thorns," had this to say:‘We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non- worriers, but that is a fact.' But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way" (95).

Trust Overcomes Worry

God created you to live full of faith and trust. When you don't worry about past mistakes or future challenges, then you know that God loves you; he will take care of all of your needs. You can enjoy your life today.

If you are seriously ill or dying, you can know that His love is eternal and everything in your life will work together for good. When you claim Jesus as your Savior, He promises you eternal life with Him. He will love you forever. You can say, whatever the outcome, "I have an eternal home in paradise!" 

When you know the Lord is good, rejection won't worry you; God will be the source of your self-worth and self-esteem. His love for you is eternal, and nothing can ever change that. You will love yourself and rejection will roll off you like water off a duck's back. 

When you know the Lord is faithful, failure becomes a mere speed bump. You won't worry about it. You won't be afraid to try that new career opportunity or to form a new relationship. You will understand that all your success comes from him and that failures and setbacks are lessons to prepare you for future victories.

Remember, God's love is good, faithful and forever. The next time you feel worried, ask God to help you to trust him. You'll be able to enjoy each moment, focus on the task at hand, and enjoy a restful sleep.

Can I Love Myself Again?

"We love because he first loved us." -1 John 4:19

Some Reasons Why We Don’t Love Ourselves

When you experience troubles in your life such as abuse, rejection and failure, you may wonder, "Can I love myself again?" The good news is, Yes you can! You were born with healthy instincts. Early in life, you were good at loving yourself. Your creator gave you the wisdom to do so. Life, however, brings difficulties that can damage self-esteem.  

When you're unable to put what you have been through the right perspective, you may begin to think you are not worthy of love. For example, "They wouldn't have abused me if I were lovable," or "If I were successful, I wouldn’t have failed.” Truthfully, everyone has bad situations, failures and rejections in life, regardless of how successful others perceive them. Self-love allows us to keep the setbacks of life in the right perspective.


Self-Love Precedes Love of Others

1 John 4:19 refers to the love of others, but self-love comes before loving others. Jesus said, "'Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Mark 12:31). You have to love yourself before you can truly love others. You may have heard the old saying, “Charity begins at home.” Love does as well.

Whitney Houston sang, “The greatest love of all, Is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all." Loving and valuing yourself unlocks the door to healthier relationships, characterized by giving.


Yes, You Can Love Yourself

Before you can do anything in life, whether being accepted to college, raising your children, you must believe you are worthy of it and that you can do it. If you’re convinced that you’re not worthy enough to go to college (that’s for those other people from better families), then you probably won’t apply. But if you believe that you are worthy, you can move forward and take steps toward your dream. If you accept Jesus as your Savior, then you are worthy. Christ gave his precious, sinless blood for you so that you could live. Think of the value He placed on your life to give his own in exchange.  


If you want to be healthy declare, “Yes I can love myself!” When you do, faith and power go work on the inside of you changing the way that you think.

Why and How to Love Yourself

Realize that we are all imperfect and don’t measure up to perfect standards. We all have chinks in our armor or imperfections in our lives, but inside our suit of armor is Jesus, the light of the world. Because He loves us so much, we can also love ourselves because He does.

Love yourself more by carving out some time each day to spend reading God's Word. Let Him love you through the promises he made to you. The benefits of reading the Bible will be apparent to you as you grow in practice. You will understand God’s love in a better way; you will get to know about his power that can help you overcome any obstacle. His love will fill your heart, helping you to love yourself and others more.