Fear
of Dying
From the moment that you come out of the womb
alive, you begin the process of dying. Yet, when the reality
of your death looms
before you, you can feel frightened—frightened to leave
the life here that you know and love, frightened about the time
and way in which you will die, frightened about what it will
be like at the moment of your death, frightened about who will
or will not be with you, and frightened about what it will be
like after you die.
Though
you are not aware of this fear of death on a daily basis, it
actually motivates many of your actions
and decisions throughout life. Much of the fear comes not from
something specific that you know about death, but from the
fact that you don’t know! You can find yourself questioning
whether or not God even exists, and in your best moments, when
you are sure there is a God, there is still no certainty about
what to expect during your last moments of human life.
People who have had near-death experiences and have been medically
revived report that the experience was not at all scary. In fact,
they felt incredible peace. Embraced by a soft light, they had
no desire to return to their bodies and earthly lives. More importantly,
they report they no longer have any fear of dying.
Part of the fear of death is grounded in the worry that when
you die you will be separated from everything you know and love
on earth. But, because there is no separation in God, you can
trust that there will still be connections with what you have
known here, and you will certainly never be separated from the
One who loved you into being.
To
try: Take a few minutes to share your fear
of death with God. Imagine that you are sitting on a park bench.
The day is
fabulous, the air clear, the sun shining, the trees green and
fragrant. Imagine that the Holy One comes and sits with you on
the bench. Think about how you would greet your divine visitor
and how you would be greeted. Sit for a few moments in silence
with the Holy One. Then imagine God asking you, “What do
you want me to do for you?” Pour out your heart’s
fear about your death, then sit quietly and wait for a response
from heaven. You may hear the Holy One’s voice, or get
a fresh insight, or feel a calm peace. Thank God for the time
you have spent together.
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