In my years of medical practice I have repeatedly observed the fear of death. A patient is informed by his or her doctor of a terminal illness that will likely end their physical life. This information is like a clap of thunder on a summer day, and the dark storm clouds of fear suddenly materialize. Very few people are ready for such news, and almost everyone struggles with it. We all know that death is inevitable, so why are we surprised and fearful when it comes for us? Could it be that we were not meant to die?
But is it possible that we have nothing to fear from death but the fear itself? In the preceding posts in this series I have tried to pull some of death’s fearful teeth by looking at death from a broader perspective. I do this because people are woefully unprepared for their own deaths. And I am convinced that until people are prepared to die, they cannot really begin to live.
If we want to really live life “with gusto” (as the beer commercial goes), we must deal now with the fear of death. It is much more difficult to think clearly about death when it is hovering imminently over us.
I have observed two methods of dealing with the common fear of death. Perhaps these may best be illustrated by asking questions. The first method is most frequently used, and the second is rarely used.
First, and most frequent, how often do you think about your own death in the course of your life? Do you never permit death to enter your thoughts except when someone close to you dies? This is a common tactic among Americans, who ignore death and pretend it does not exist for them. We tend to hide death from common view in hospital and hospice. This approach works until it doesn’t. Then death crushes ignorance and becomes ominously intrusive in our thoughts.
The preceding questions suggest a different question. Do you think about death and its consequences in a constructive and healing manner that can lessen the fear, and thereby enable you accept your own death and deal with it?
When confronted with their own death, most people only know that they don’t want to die. But when don’t they want to die? Most would agree that they don’t want to die young. But when would you choose to die, and at what age? And if you got your wish, would that eliminate the fear of death for you?
In the Bible we read of the Judean king Hezekiah who wept over his impending death (2 Kings 20:1-6; Isaiah 38:5), and God granted him fifteen more years of life. Would fifteen more years be sufficient for you today? Would that eliminate your fear of death?
Isa 38:5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
One of the first things to learn about death, if you care to think about it, is that death is absolutely necessary. What would happen in this limited world of time if no one ever died?! How long could earth’s resources sustain its undying growing population?! What would happen to the human body if it were immortal? Would it continue to decline in health and appearance forever? Not a very pretty picture! Would human immortality also entail other animals immortality? Clearly this alternative is unmanageable and unthinkable.
The next thing to learn about death is that it is the great equalizer! Death makes things fair–everyone dies. And everyone faces judgment. Would you want it any other way? What if immortality were elitist and only a few “special” persons could earn or purchase it, like sinful men preferentially and unequally distribute this world’s material goods?
If death is the ultimate fairness, in that all die, then what can we expect in death? We can either assume, incorrectly, that there is nothing to expect, as Isaac Asimov believed,
“Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.”
Or we can look into God’s word for instruction. Though there are many religions among men, only the Bible specifically and clearly tells us what to expect personally from death. If you have trouble believing this, you might refer to the Bible before leaving earth and time. Or you can default to Asimov’s dismal expectation. In my next post (#10 in this series), I will outline what I think is the biblical view of death.
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