The fear of death is an innate and entirely understandable aspect of human existence. After all, the prospect of venturing into the uncharted territory of the unknown holds a certain apprehension for most of us. Yet, it is imperative to recognize that this fear need not be a force that robs us of the peace that we so earnestly seek. In drawing near to God, Who stands as the very conqueror of death, we find serenity that extends not only to our contemplation of mortality but also to our engagement with the life we currently inhabit.
Through receiving God’s gift of salvation and subsequently growing in the awareness of His presence, He gives us a confidence that saturates our life with a fearlessness that defies human understanding.
In my personal journey, the fear of death once wielded a considerable influence over me. One area of fear was the gnawing uncertainty concerning the authenticity of my salvation. This uncertainty stemmed from my rather shallow acquaintance with God, Who had graciously saved me. Ensnared in patterns of disobedience, I was unknowingly attempting to offer God mere scraps of time and surplus wealth, all the while neglecting the depth of the relationship He sought with me.
What I didn’t realize was that my disobedience set me at odds with my peace! My fear of death was inextricably intertwined with the dread of an impending judgment.
My patterns of disobedience to His Word were directly at odds with the peace I longed for. What I initially failed to grasp was the remarkable correlation between the pursuit of Christ-likeness and the tangible experience of God’s transcendent fearlessness of death. God’s inexplicable peace thrives even in the face of the most tumultuous, disconcerting, and agonizing circumstances. This profound peace is cultivated within us as we relinquish our self-directed paths and instead humbly turn and make His will our own.
Within God’s will, we find that our fear of all things—including death—is greatly diminished. Then—Paul’s words make sense and give us hope in death—instead of fear:
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.“
Philippians 1:21 NKJV
Yes, death is the great unknown. But when we KNOW Christ, we know we can trust Him in all things—especially death. We can take His promises to the bank.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will GUARD your HEARTS and your MINDS in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
To fight the enemy (especially death) we must be continually using the whole armor of God. As our alignment with God—the very source of life—is deepened, our apprehension of death naturally diminishes. Our proximity to God inversely correlates with the intensity of our fear of death.
The closer we are to God, Who gives life; the less we fear death.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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2 Responses
why are you telling me this ? What are you trying to tell me? Am i supposed to die or something? Please answer me.
The message is to only to make sure everyone who reads it knows that they know Jesus.