Facing Anxiety about Death

Death is the great inevitability of life. Yet despite this certainty, many have some degree of fear or anxiety about death. In its most intense form, thanatophobia (the fear of death) can hinder you from fully living your life.

Others may live with the fear hovering in the back of their mind, not always conscious of it. For some, fear may only come in certain situations. And sometimes it is not your own death that causes fear. The thought of loved ones dying is equally anxiety-inducing.

People do all sorts of things to prevent death, from healthy diets and exercise to wearing seatbelts and going through surgery. But while death can be postponed it cannot be cancelled. Each person needs to come to terms with death. As a Christian, you have a completely other perspective on death, one informed by your faith and the Bible.

The Bible is a book that often deals with death from one generation to the next until the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That resurrection gives hope for after death. Yet in death, there is also hope.

What does the Bible say regarding anxiety about death?

My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. – Psalm 55:4-5, NIV

David, the writer of many Psalms, had much reason to experience anxiety about death. He spent many days running from men who wanted him dead. He experienced loss, physical suffering, and exhaustion. Yet he knew who truly had his life in His hand.

Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. – Psalm 68:20, NIV

While David may have been afraid of men who wanted to see him dead, he trusted that God had a plan for his life and his death. You can have that same faith. The time of your death is not unknown to Him.

As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. – Ecclesiastes 8:8, NIV

Much fear of death is because humans feel uncomfortable with things they cannot control. And death is very much out of human control. Even those who have a terminal illness only have a possible time of death, not an exact date and time.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. – Psalm 116:15, NIV

You have an expiration date, but that does not mean that you are worthless. Living a life of faithfulness is good regardless of when it ends. Death is not the end of your value to God, and you have a calling to live in faith rather than fear.

Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? – Psalm 87:47-48, NIV

For many people, the fear of death is related to a fear of failing in life. So, if you are feeling anxiety about death, it may be related to anxiety about your life. Anxiety can overlap many areas. If you are feeling anxiety about death talking to a counselor can provide you with encouragement and resources to understand your fear and how to handle it. Call today to schedule an appointment.