Reading posts on social media would seem to indicate that there are a lot of unhappy campers out there. The level of animosity toward others who disagree is just crazy. We used to be able to have civil discourse with those whose opinions differed from our own, but not anymore. People are downright hostile toward one another and it seems to be getting worse.
Pondering this made me wonder why a large swath of humanity is so rabidly unhappy. In many parts of the US and throughout the word, society is set up in just the way that they scream they want. There is little to no restriction on behavior anymore. Laws have been rewritten to legalize drug use and other activities once looked down upon by society. People can pretty much do as they please without much consequence. They want to live apart from God, and so they do. But despite getting the freedom to do just that in the utopian paradise they’ve created, they are still striving and struggling for something they just can’t quite reach. They chase after power, money, possessions and fame, in ways that demonstrate their uncertainty about what comes after this life. It seems as though they grasp for all they can get here, maybe because they believe that “here” is all there is. I think a lot of people go through life working to stave off a latent fear of the future, and more specifically— a fear of death.
I recently heard it reported that many Americans don’t have wills. This is not because they don’t have assets to leave to the heirs—but because they don’t like to think about death.
All of creation was once immortal, until death entered our world in Genesis 3, and mankind has dreaded the end of life ever since. The dread of death is what robs us of peace in this life. How do we enjoy the present when we are afraid of the future?
Several years ago, my sister experienced a very turbulent flight coming into Reno, NV, and developed a strong aversion to flying. When a family trip to Minnesota was scheduled for a week in our dad’s hometown, she reluctantly agreed to stifle her apprehension and join us on the trip. The flights were fine and all seemed well with her. But later she confessed that she was uneasy the whole time we were back east because she knew at the end of the week she’d have to get back on that plane. What should have been a time of rest and relaxation was a week full of dread. Her fear of the future robbed her of peace and kept her from enjoying the present.
People who don’t know the Lord have the same apprehension in life. They may try to mask it by pretending that they have or are pursuing everything they need, but in reality they don’t have peace about what will happen to them when they die.
Jesus tells us that he provides a peace that we cannot even begin to understand.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27, NIV
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7, KJV
That incomprehensible peace is granted when we put our faith in Christ Jesus. It is the Gospel message.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16, NIV
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16, NIV
Christ-followers are not afraid of death. They know it is merely the gateway to an unimaginable place where our relationship with God is restored, where our lives are fulfilled, and where we’ll forever be with him who made it possible and to whom we owe our eternal lives—Jesus Christ. It is the assurance of salvation that gives believers perfect peace in this life.
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3, NIV
If you don’t know that peace, I encourage you to seek out the one who has the power to save. If you are unsure how to do that, here is a great place to start: https://harvest.org/know-god/
To have peace in this world, we must be confident of the next.
On the journey toward Home,
