Life has been great. My anger has been getting to be less of a burden. But something’s been torturing me tonight, I even broke down and cried a few minutes ago. I was taken up with a fear that my life was almost over; that I didn’t have much time left. Then for a moment, I relived finding my brother dead. I remembered me and my dad banging on his door, and dad desperately trying to shake him awake. The sound is the part I wish I could forget the most …<\/p>\n
I fear one day it’ll be my door they’re banging on; it’ll be me they’re trying to shake awake. I guess this is normal, right? Mr. Hamilton, I know if I die, I’ll go to heaven, but that doesn’t erase the fear of death. No one is promised tomorrow. I guess my question is, what can be done about fear like that?<\/p>\n\t
One of the things that the Bible teaches us is that feelings are not reality. “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered<\/em>” (Proverbs 28:26).<\/p>\n The death of your brother was a horrible tragedy, but it doesn’t mean it will be repeated. However, there is a lesson to be learned. “Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). It is important to remember that life here on earth is not permanent. It isn’t the sum of what life is all about. The understanding of death is that we live life fully and faithfully before God. “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10).<\/p>\n Everyone has fears when facing something new or unknown. We get anxious about moving because we haven’t lived there before. Even if we are excited to go, there are still things we dread. None of us have been to heaven. None of us have seen God. We are excited to go and live with Him, yet it still involves the unknown. Therefore, just put the feelings down as normal and continue to focus on pleasing God.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Life has been great. My anger has been getting to be less of a burden. But something’s been torturing me tonight, I even broke down and cried a few minutes ago. I was taken up with a fear that my life was almost over; that I didn’t have much time left. Then for a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[109,352],"class_list":["post-42746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-death","tag-fear"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":30297,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-afraid-of-growing-old-and-dying\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":0},"title":"I’m afraid of growing old and dying","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 22, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm going through a time right now of fear and turmoil.\u00a0 Fear of growing older and dying.\u00a0 It's a paralyzing fear that I can't seem to shake.\u00a0 I\u00a0 know it has to be a lack of faith. I don't want to fear.\u00a0 I want to trust in what God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36177,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-deal-with-the-fear-that-my-dad-may-never-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":1},"title":"How do I deal with the fear that my dad may never change?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Bro. Hamilton, I just need some clarification about a situation. My parents are not members of the church of Christ, but I am. We went off and on when I was growing up but stopped because my dad didn't take us anymore. However, we went back, and I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28998,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/ive-been-having-a-lot-of-nightmares-this-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":2},"title":"I’ve been having a lot of nightmares this week","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I've been having nightmares a lot this week. Just last night I had a nightmare about a horrible dark creature behind me and looking at me. I woke up screaming! And I didn't sleep very well after that because I had another nightmare. I guess that's why I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28215,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-fear-be-a-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":3},"title":"Can fear be a sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am trying to change my ways and live a better Christian lifestyle (a life more pleasing to the Lord). I know temptation will always be hounding me, but I know the Lord will provide me a way out. However, I want to know if fear can be considered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33558,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-someone-in-christ-fear-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":4},"title":"How can someone in Christ fear death?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How can someone in Christ fear death? Answer: It would depend on the strength and growth of their faith. \"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14370,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/perfect-love-casts-out-fear\/","url_meta":{"origin":42746,"position":5},"title":"Perfect Love Casts Out Fear","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 28, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I John 4:17-21 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Fear is an instinctive emotion \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It arises from a need to preserve ourselves, to keep us protected. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Fears of job loss, serious illness, difficult problems may each cause us to fear. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We don\u2019t fear when we don\u2019t perceive a danger II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Fear\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42746\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}