Conversations on Death & Dying That We Need to Have Now & Again Next Yearનમૂનો

When You’re Ready to Go: Dying Proactively

A second kind of death may be one where you are proactively telling God you are ready and perhaps even asking Him for death to come.

Paul described this feeling in his final letter. He didn’t ask for death, but he knew the end had come, and he accepted it with full confidence in Christ.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7 NIV

Not everyone arrives at this moment the same way.

But for some, it becomes clear. They are not asking to live longer. They are asking to be released. And when that request is offered with peace and prayerful unity with others, it can be a powerful and faithful act.

There are times when families come together in this decision. When everyone agrees that the time for striving is over, and it is better to pray not for more time, but to pray for a peaceful end.

When a believer has already made peace with God, and reconciliation with family has been sought and received, the request to die is not rooted in defeat. It is rooted in assurance. And the prayer request for death to come can be very appropriate, and honored by God.

This kind of prayer is not for everyone, and it should never be rushed.

Moses, Elijah, Job, and even Paul all spoke of their longing to depart when their lives felt complete or their burdens too heavy. In Philippians 1, Paul wrote these words, which may set the stage for your honest communication with God when your time comes:

“To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21 NIV

Paul is absolutely right in saying that to die in Christ is not a loss, but a gain. Paul knew that his death would be a step into something better.

Sometimes, after a long life of service and faith, you may also know when you are ready to go. At that time, there is no anger, bitterness, or fear. It is just an honest realization that you’ve reached the end of your days, and are ready to proceed into eternity.

This can be especially meaningful if you are able to express this clearly to your loved ones. Doing so opens the door to final conversations that matter – blessings, prayers, and quiet honesty.

These conversations also spare families the confusion of trying to guess what you might have wanted, what your final wishes might have been. When you are able to make this decision together to pray for death to come, it becomes a gift, a lasting legacy that can impact the lives of those you leave behind.

But, asking God for death is not something most Christians talk about.

Even though it may be one of the clearest signs of faith, we just don’t speak about it – treating it as if death can never be the right thing to pray for. But that is not the truth.

Under the right circumstances, a longing to join God for all eternity is the mark of a life well-lived, a faith fully matured. Doing so means you are not trying to delay the inevitable or hold on to what must be left behind, for reasons of selfish desire.

It means you know where you are going, and that you have fully accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of every aspect of your life, even life itself.

There is no formula for how to die well.

But when readiness is met with peace, when the body is fading and the spirit is full of faith, it can be completely OK to ask the Lord to bring you home. It is a prayer He understands.

And when the time is right, it is a prayer He will answer.

Take time to reflect:

• Can asking God for a peaceful death be an act of faith? Why or why not?
• Who in your life do you still need to make peace with?
• What conversations should you have now so your loved ones know your wishes?