Anxiety and Death

[Belive007]

Hi,this is the first time I've ever posted on a Christian thread before but I'm reaching out to anyone that can help or suggest what I can do to fix my problems.

ive been struggling with anxiety for a while and it has been getting better but the main fear I have always had is life after death. The last few weeks I have been doubting that there is a life after death and have been overthinking it.i am always a positive person and always have a positive outlook on life but this feeling has come suddenly in the past few weeks and if anyone can guide me in the right direction of what I can study or anything it would be great.thank you

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hi,this is the first time I've ever posted on a Christian thread before but I'm reaching out to anyone that can help or suggest what I can do to fix my problems.

ive been struggling with anxiety for a while and it has been getting better but the main fear I have always had is life after death. The last few weeks I have been doubting that there is a life after death and have been overthinking it.i am always a positive person and always have a positive outlook on life but this feeling has come suddenly in the past few weeks and if anyone can guide me in the right direction of what I can study or anything it would be great.thank you

Belive007, I had the same thing going on in my life when I was a teenager. The anxiety over life and the emotional discomfort of facing the mirror and knowing that "this isn't forever" wasn't especially a rosy feeling. I get what you're saying.

There's no easy way to deal with this and there's no fix to it, but I think a person can take some steps to help alleviate some of the tensions. For me, the ameloriation of this anxiety has come specifically by identifying those things in life that cause me to think that "this is all there is..." and then challenging those things.

 

[Brother-Mike]

Hi,this is the first time I've ever posted on a Christian thread before but I'm reaching out to anyone that can help or suggest what I can do to fix my problems.

ive been struggling with anxiety for a while and it has been getting better but the main fear I have always had is life after death. The last few weeks I have been doubting that there is a life after death and have been overthinking it.i am always a positive person and always have a positive outlook on life but this feeling has come suddenly in the past few weeks and if anyone can guide me in the right direction of what I can study or anything it would be great.thank you

Hi Believe007 and thanks for sharing your situation. Can I ask some questions:

1. What do you believe is the reason that you've been doubting lately? Did something bring this on?
2. In what ways have you been overthinking it? i.e. can you articulate your thought process?
3. How's everything else in your life right now, and do you think there's a connection between your life situation and your recent doubt?

I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts and recommendations too, but if you're able to shed more light I'll do my best to delve deeper this evening when I'm back home.

Take care and talk to you soon.

 

[Belive007]

I appreciate the help and I didn't want to go into great detail since it would be a lot to read but; I was raised into Christian faith and always believed in life after death. My grandpa was a pastor and held church in his house every Sunday. I was a bad kid when I was young and he would always tell me that I would go to hell if I didn't fix my act and that the end times were coming soon and that it was too late to fix myself and repent. So I think that's where I get some of my fear from.(this was years ago)

The reason I've been doubting lately is stupid but: I feel like when we sleep there is nothingness,so I get the idea when we die there is nothingness.if that makes any sense.

The overthinking part is just me being in between the lines of:there is something after we die and there is not. I believe in paranormal activity but I cannot comprehend how that translates to us(spirits and souls) and how that might prove there is an afterlife.

As for home life: everything is going good, I moved into my own place and have a good car and job.I just don't know what other goals I can have in life. I don't care about money I just want to focus on things that make me happy and make myself happy.id really want to become a pastor one day and have my own church and teach what is right.

Hopefully everything that I wrote down makes sense,I have been looking for some time to find a community or someone I can talk to what I feel about and I'm glad you guys can help me out.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I appreciate the help and I didn't want to go into great detail since it would be a lot to read but; I was raised into Christian faith and always believed in life after death. My grandpa was a pastor and held church in his house every Sunday. I was a bad kid when I was young and he would always tell me that I would go to hell if I didn't fix my act and that the end times were coming soon and that it was too late to fix myself and repent. So I think that's where I get some of my fear from.(this was years ago)

The reason I've been doubting lately is stupid but: I feel like when we sleep there is nothingness,so I get the idea when we die there is nothingness.if that makes any sense.

The overthinking part is just me being in between the lines of:there is something after we die and there is not. I believe in paranormal activity but I cannot comprehend how that translates to us(spirits and souls) and how that might prove there is an afterlife.

As for home life: everything is going good, I moved into my own place and have a good car and job.I just don't know what other goals I can have in life. I don't care about money I just want to focus on things that make me happy and make myself happy.id really want to become a pastor one day and have my own church and teach what is right.

Hopefully everything that I wrote down makes sense,I have been looking for some time to find a community or someone I can talk to what I feel about and I'm glad you guys can help me out.

Actually, that makes sense. Probably one aspect of this to know is that you're not the only one who feels like this, whether often or infrequently. It's going to happen because we're human, doing what humans do: feeling what humans feel and thinking and having anxiety over it.

The catch here is to realize that we don't have all the answers even where Christianity is concerned, so belief and faith aren't going to rely specifically and only on some singular point (or two) of certainty by which you "just know beyond doubt."

It doesn't usually happen that way. But, the thing is, as a human being, you get to question everything, even the nature of your own belief .... and your disbelief.

 

[Brother-Mike]

I appreciate the help and I didn't want to go into great detail since it would be a lot to read but; I was raised into Christian faith and always believed in life after death. My grandpa was a pastor and held church in his house every Sunday. I was a bad kid when I was young and he would always tell me that I would go to hell if I didn't fix my act and that the end times were coming soon and that it was too late to fix myself and repent. So I think that's where I get some of my fear from.(this was years ago)

The reason I've been doubting lately is stupid but: I feel like when we sleep there is nothingness,so I get the idea when we die there is nothingness.if that makes any sense.

The overthinking part is just me being in between the lines of:there is something after we die and there is not. I believe in paranormal activity but I cannot comprehend how that translates to us(spirits and souls) and how that might prove there is an afterlife.

As for home life: everything is going good, I moved into my own place and have a good car and job.I just don't know what other goals I can have in life. I don't care about money I just want to focus on things that make me happy and make myself happy.id really want to become a pastor one day and have my own church and teach what is right.

Hopefully everything that I wrote down makes sense,I have been looking for some time to find a community or someone I can talk to what I feel about and I'm glad you guys can help me out.

Thanks for the reply - some thoughts:

1. The nothingness of sleep: to me, it’s quite the contrary. When you sleep you dream, you regenerate to fight a other day, you don’t just wink out of existence. Those who love and care about you are still there, still relying on you. Most importantly, as long as you’re alive you are still part of God’s plan here in Creation, with the million little ways that each of us interact and shape reality for the betterment of others. And don’t even get me started on the countless physical and bodily miracles that take place as God sustains your body every moment, even during sleep…
2. What if you die and then there’s just nothing: if Christianity is false then death is the end and we fade to black. You would have spent your life following a belief system that still provided a grounding to morality and asked very little of you in exchange - you didn’t need to shave your head and live a monkish existence in a mountain-top monastery, you didn’t need to sacrifice your reason or your belief in science. Rather, you followed a belief system that shaped the path of civilization and advancement for 2000 years, and counters the nihilism and hopelessness of secular humanism that has given us 100 million dead in the last century alone.

Anyway, some initial thoughts at least based on what you’ve shared. I hope if nothing else they’ll at least give you perhaps a different perspective…

 

[Tolworth John]

The reason I've been doubting lately is stupid but: I feel like when we sleep there is nothingness,so I get the idea when we die there is nothingness.if that makes any sense.

The overthinking part is just me being in between the lines of:there is something after we die and there is not. I believe in paranormal activity but I cannot comprehend how that translates to us(spirits and souls) and how that might prove there is an afterlife.

There is nothing wrong with having doubts or questions about ones faith, provided that one is doing something about finding answers to those doubts and questions.

You say you are aChristian, yet don't mention any involvement with a church. That is your nearest source of advice, help etc.

Life after death, wel Jesus rose from the dead, something atheistic historians are willing to confirm.
If Jesus rose not only is Christianity true, but there is life after death.

Check out sites like answersingenesis, wintery knight and reasonable faith.

Simplist is to talk to your minister.

 

[frank1234]

The sure and correct way to deal with this subject is , first make sure you are saved, second study the bible(specially the scriptures about assurance of salvation). Bible assures us that when we are saved we will go to heaven to be with Jesus. There is no fear in love.