Tom Ford admits he is terrified of dying. The 55 year-old top fashion designer and successful movie producer said, “I have a wonderful family life. I exercise, I play tennis every day, all those little things.” Still, he laments he is constantly pushing against darker thoughts, especially related to mortality. “Death is all I think about. There is not a day or really an hour that goes by that I don’t think about death.” A classic case of thanapophobia!

The fear of death haunts a lot of people. There’s a gnawing anxiety that life could end at any moment and it’s upsetting and ultimately leads to unhappiness.  Hebrews 2:14-15 says that Jesus came to earth to, “…free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

It’s God’s will that His people live every day to the fullest, free from any anxiety about dying. He wants to empower us to say with the Apostle Paul, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55).

If you struggle with anxieties about death consider taking the following action:

Accept the fact that some fear of death is normal and God-given.  

The will to live is one of our strongest, God-given instincts. It motivates us to use caution and avoid taking dangerous, unnecessary risks. If anyone tells you they have zero fear of death, they probably aren’t being totally truthful.

On the other hand, an inordinate fear of death is often based on guilt as none of us want to “fall into the hands of an angry God.”.
Our fear of death may be God’s way of motivating us to repent of flagrant, willful sin, to humble ourselves before Him and seek His forgiveness. In that regard, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” (Prov. 9:10).

Take the necessary action to be assured of your forgiveness and eternal salvation.

On the day of Pentecost, the residents of Jerusalem felt convicted of their sin and asked Simon Peter, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

The Bible makes it clear that forgiveness and salvation are not dependent on our good works but on our willingness to humble ourselves and admit we are sinful and then putting our trust in Christ’s perfect work for us on the cross. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Evangelist Paul Little imagined lining everyone up along the Pacific coast and telling them to swim to Hawaii. How many would make it? Not one! The Olympic swimmer might swim 20 miles, the doggy-paddler 20 yards but no one can swim 2000 miles. But, if a cruise ship came along and a benevolent captain offered a free trip to Hawaii who would make it? Those who were humble enough to admit their inadequacy and trust the captain.

Jesus promised, “The one who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25). Once you are confident your sins are washed away by the blood of Christ and your promise of heaven is secure, death doesn’t seem nearly as threatening.

Memorize and repeat God’s promises to yourself.

Few disciplines alleviate fear like recalling the marvelous promises of God.

“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4).

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).

“If go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

“…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

It’s amazing how just repeating God’s promises alleviates our fears and gives us a quiet heart. Trust Him completely. He cannot tell a lie!

Review what the Bible says will happen when you die.

Information helps eliminate fear.  When we die, our spirit slips away from the physical body and enters immediately into the presence of God. Jesus told a dying thief, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” When a hand is removed from a glove the glove has the form of the hand but is not the hand; so when a person dies, the body has the form of the person but is not the person. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).

When Christ returns, He will bring the Spirits of those who have died and “the dead in Christ will rise.” (1 Thess. 4:16). At that point we will be given a new glorified body and dwell forever with the Lord. “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1).

It’s been well said, “We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. We are in the land of the dying, going to the land of the living!”

Imagine the joys of heaven.

The Bible says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Col. 3:2)

A couple plans a trip to Paris for their 25th Anniversary. They read brochures, view pictures and videos and eagerly anticipate what lies in store for them. They get excited about Paris even though they’ve never been there. They probably dread the six-hour plane ride but they’re willing to endure it to get to their destination.

None of us is excited about the process of dying. But think about being welcomed home by Jesus and thanking him for your salvation. Think about the people you anticipate seeing again. Think about the new glorified, painless body you will be given. Think about the activities you want to participate in. Think about the worship of God with millions of other believes…that will be the most glorious event you’ve ever experienced! Set your mind on the things above and remember, “God is able to do more than we ask or imagine”!

Live in the precious present with the peace of God guarding your heart.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).

Don’t let worry about dying rob you of the joys and opportunities of this day. Live this moment to the fullest; the Lord will take care of the future. I like the plaque my wife has hanging over our kitchen window. It reminds me of this truth every morning, “Fear not tomorrow… God is already there.”

*The Hollywood Reporter “The Tortured Tao of Tom Ford”