As a physician, I see two main areas that I help people with. The first is helping people to live as healthy of a life as they can. The second is to comfort people and alleviate some of the hardship of chronic illnesses. This second part extends to the dying process.

There has been a lot of news and research about longevity and slowing, or even “reversing,” the aging process. People spend an incredible amount of time, energy, and finances to trying to live longer and somehow try to cheat death. But we all know that death is inevitable, even biblical, when God limited our days here on earth. That is not to say that God does not intervene and heal people miraculously (He does indeed!), but nonetheless, eventually, we will all face our mortality.

I see two types of people when they face imminent death. One type fights their morbid illness (or aging body) with every possible intervention, therapy, and experimental treatment until the bitter end. There is a sense of urgency and anxiousness in this endeavor.

The second type faces looming death with an understanding that the inevitable is coming with peace and acceptance. Quite often, these are Christians in my practice. They often tell me they are not afraid. They speak of their assurance that this is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in their life. I’m reminded of this song, “Blessed Assurance”:

“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his Spirit, washed in His blood.”

If you have the time, read the rest of the song. Written in 1873, it still rings true today.