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.