Living in Faith
The Tallest Order
Stephen Lau
The Tallest Order
Stephen Lau
Faith in Death and Dying
by
Stephen Lau
by
Stephen Lau
Death is a domain of the old: the elderly are often preoccupied with attitudes about death, and the inevitability of death. According to studies, the majority of the elderly wish to extend life for as long as possible, irrespective of their death anxiety level.
Life is a task-master: it teaches you how to survive. Death is a leveler of man: it teaches you how to live. To appreciate life, you must come to grips with the reality of death, and more importantly with God.
Attitudes about Death
For some people, due to the inevitability of death, they simply choose not to think about death in order to be happy.
For others, in the imminence of death, there is often denial, which will gradually give way as aging continues and dying becomes more of a personal reality than an abstract fate.
Death Anxiety
Death anxiety is fear of death. It is fear of the pain of dying, fear of separation from loved ones, and fear of the unknown.
The level of death anxiety is determined by the following factors.
Life is a task-master: it teaches you how to survive. Death is a leveler of man: it teaches you how to live. To appreciate life, you must come to grips with the reality of death, and more importantly with God.
Attitudes about Death
For some people, due to the inevitability of death, they simply choose not to think about death in order to be happy.
For others, in the imminence of death, there is often denial, which will gradually give way as aging continues and dying becomes more of a personal reality than an abstract fate.
Death Anxiety
Death anxiety is fear of death. It is fear of the pain of dying, fear of separation from loved ones, and fear of the unknown.
The level of death anxiety is determined by the following factors.
CopyrightŠ by Stephen Lau
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| ˇ | Inability to fulfill certain goals in the past (often accompanied by regret) |
| ˇ | Perceived inability to accomplish certain goals in the future (work undone, unfinished relationship business, or lifelong dreams unrealized) |
| ˇ | The meaningfulness of death: life after death, or death as an escape from pain and misery in life |
But, irrespective of the level, death anxiety is unhealthy, because it robs you of the joys of living; if you are afraid to die, you may also be afraid to live - and thus depriving yourself of successful aging.
According to a study, successful aging is 80 percent due to attitudes, and the rest to everything else. In other words, successful aging has more to do with the positive meanings of life and death, rather than frailty or chronic illnesses.
Positive Meanings of Life and Death
Positive meanings of life and death provide one with the motivation to go on living, and therefore adopting a healthy lifestyle in the latter part of one's life.
Positive meanings of life and death also enable one to embrace an attitude of acceptance of the inevitability of death, and thus instrumental in making the most of the rest of one's life to live well and die well.
Positive meanings of life and death are effective coping mechanisms to deal with death and dying. These coping mechanisms include the following:
According to a study, successful aging is 80 percent due to attitudes, and the rest to everything else. In other words, successful aging has more to do with the positive meanings of life and death, rather than frailty or chronic illnesses.
Positive Meanings of Life and Death
Positive meanings of life and death provide one with the motivation to go on living, and therefore adopting a healthy lifestyle in the latter part of one's life.
Positive meanings of life and death also enable one to embrace an attitude of acceptance of the inevitability of death, and thus instrumental in making the most of the rest of one's life to live well and die well.
Positive meanings of life and death are effective coping mechanisms to deal with death and dying. These coping mechanisms include the following:
| ˇ | Decreased focus on the self |
| ˇ | Increasing focus on one's life accomplishments, especially contributions to society and mankind |
| ˇ | Acceptance of the inevitability of human mortality |
The above coping mechanisms are, in essence, spirituality and living in faith.
Spirituality and Living in Faith
Spirituality is an expression of love, joy, and peace; it is invisible, but heart-felt. Spirituality energizes life in all living things because it is the Spirit of God.
Spirituality is founded on humility, obedience, compassion, and trust.
Decreased focus on the self is the beginning of humility, without which nobody can come before God. Negating self-will is subordinating one's will to that of God, which is obedience.
Increasing focus on one's contributions to society and mankind gives one a compassion-driven life to pursue.
Acceptance of dying and death makes one place complete trust in the Almighty God.
Spirituality enhances one's intimacy with God, and thus enabling one to live in faith in spite of the odds, as well as to prepare for death.
Preparation for Death
Like everybody else, you would look forward to a peace death.
But a peaceful death is possible only when there is preparation for death.
But when should one begin the preparation for death?
Physically, your body has initiated such preparation as soon as it reaches its maturity: your body begins to wind down and wear down. However, mentally and spirituality, most of us are unprepared until the very last moment when we are confronted with death, such as the onslaught of a chronic illness or decease of someone close to us.
Thoughts of dying and death are morbid that nobody wants to contemplate. But preparation for death takes away death anxiety and enables living in faith.
Preparation for death is faith in death; it helps in the following ways:
Spirituality and Living in Faith
Spirituality is an expression of love, joy, and peace; it is invisible, but heart-felt. Spirituality energizes life in all living things because it is the Spirit of God.
Spirituality is founded on humility, obedience, compassion, and trust.
Decreased focus on the self is the beginning of humility, without which nobody can come before God. Negating self-will is subordinating one's will to that of God, which is obedience.
Increasing focus on one's contributions to society and mankind gives one a compassion-driven life to pursue.
Acceptance of dying and death makes one place complete trust in the Almighty God.
Spirituality enhances one's intimacy with God, and thus enabling one to live in faith in spite of the odds, as well as to prepare for death.
Preparation for Death
Like everybody else, you would look forward to a peace death.
But a peaceful death is possible only when there is preparation for death.
But when should one begin the preparation for death?
Physically, your body has initiated such preparation as soon as it reaches its maturity: your body begins to wind down and wear down. However, mentally and spirituality, most of us are unprepared until the very last moment when we are confronted with death, such as the onslaught of a chronic illness or decease of someone close to us.
Thoughts of dying and death are morbid that nobody wants to contemplate. But preparation for death takes away death anxiety and enables living in faith.
Preparation for death is faith in death; it helps in the following ways:
| ˇ | Faith in death gives courage to get into the unknown and beyond after death without fear. Such courage is based on the relationship of trust in God's grace and love, just as Paul expressed his relationship with God: "For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) |
| ˇ | Faith in death gives insight to guide through death into paradise, just as Jesus did. "Father into Your hands, I commend My spirit." (Luke 23:46) |
| ˇ | Faith in death gives control over one's own dying and death. Every night, before going to bed, pray just as Jesus did: "Father into Your hands, I commend My spirit." (Luke 23:46) |
| ˇ | Faith in death gives transformation from agony to ecstasy, just as Jesus' crucifixion transformed Him from agony to the eternal joy of heaven. |
| ˇ | Faith in death gives positive reflections on the meaning of life, and its priorities, and thus enabling one to live in the present moment. |
Living in faith makes death a friend, rather than a foe. Even the ancient Chinese philosopher, Chuang Tzu, had this to say about dying and death:
"How do I know that in clinging to this life I'm not merely clinging to a dream and delaying my entry into the real world?
"The great earth burdens me with a body, causes me to toil in life, eases me into old age, and rests me in death. That which makes my life good, makes my death even better."
As a believer, cling to God, not the earthly things. Let living in faith make the transition from death to eternal life.
"How do I know that in clinging to this life I'm not merely clinging to a dream and delaying my entry into the real world?
"The great earth burdens me with a body, causes me to toil in life, eases me into old age, and rests me in death. That which makes my life good, makes my death even better."
As a believer, cling to God, not the earthly things. Let living in faith make the transition from death to eternal life.
