Scared To Death Of Death

Scared To Death Of Death

Only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. –Hebrews 2:14-15

Woody Allen is quoted as saying, “It’s not that I’m afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” The truth is, most of us are scared to death of death. We have a hard time imagining how or why anyone could do anything—even for a noble cause such as defending our country, donating a vital organ, or declining an invasive medical treatment—that could potentially lead to death. Why are we so afraid? Are we destined to be afraid of death?

Some of it, I think, is fear of the unknown. We don’t know what it will feel like to die or what will be beyond that threshold. I think Jesus understood this fear, which is why he comforted his disciples by telling them, “I am going to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). It is not what you know but who you know that calms the fear of the unknowns surrounding death.

We fear judgment. And it is true that after death comes judgment. But the good news is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. We are judged “not guilty”—not because we have no real guilt, but because Christ has paid the penalty for our wrongdoing. Anticipating freedom from punishment relieves the fear of death.

We also fear the potential pain involved in dying, the separation from those we love, and the loss of control that death brings (since none of us are strong enough to resist death). Perhaps our greatest fear is what it will be like for those we leave behind. It is okay to be afraid of these things. But these fears do not have to consume us, enslave us.

Imagine living in the freedom of no longer being a slave to the fear of death. That is the very purpose for which Christ died. You can rest in the midst of the unknown, trusting God with your future and recognizing that Jesus has removed the sting from death. As you walk in this freedom, you’ll be able to give your life away more freely, hold on to your loved ones more loosely, and embrace the adventure of life in Christ more fully.

Freedom Giver, please set me free from the grip my fears about death have on me. Because I know you, I can trust you with my life and my death.

DIGGING DEEPER