Cancer Blog #39
By Brian Zimmerman
Begun on July 31, 2021
Email: dyingman1@yahoo.com
My Dying Words
Entry #39 – A Long Dying May be a Blessing
May 20, 2022
[1Pe 1:6-7 NASB95] 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, [being] more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
I have mentioned before that a delayed death can be a blessing. I know of some who died suddenly without any expectation so their family and friends had no time to prepare for their departure. I think of the saying we had when I was a young man: a long time of dating, and a short time of engagement, meaning we could control our desires while dating, but had a difficult time controlling them when we knew we were to be married soon. Having a retarded death is having a “long dating time”…time to get to know death, and time to prepare ones who are closest to us. An extended time of death is a very different experience from being told to expect to die very shortly, as in hours or days. With an extended time of dying, we can prepare others- telling our mates, our children, our friends, things we had always wished we had said, but never had; to arrange our finances and make funeral arrangements to prevent those burdens being dumped on others. These are hardships that will try the genuineness of faith in a way that we may have never otherwise experienced. An immediate expectation of impending death, when it is truly imminent, means we can do little more than prepare ourselves for departure.
But, when there is some time before we expect to die, what a great opportunity God has given to demonstrate our faith in the resurrection of our Lord, and in the hope of our own resurrection! Don’t lose this opportunity to show the genuineness of your faith. By your kindness, your joy, your patience, you can reveal the true nature of your faith. This trial is a proof of our faith, one that every single person will undergo at some point. You can help others by leading the way with your stalwart adherence to God’s promise of eternal life. Be strong and courageous. Show your cheerfulness even in the face impending death. Set an example for others to emulate in your joy and cheerfulness and thoughtfulness and kindness even as you face your own demise. If you are certain in your future resurrection, then you can point the way by acting with certainty and joy in facing your final adversary, the defeated foe – death. Be glad you have been tested by fire; that by the power of the Holy Spirit you can overcome the fear of death that so grips the heart of the unbeliever. Instead, you can die with the hope that you are going home to receive your long awaited reward – reunion with our precious Lord and the great gathering of His people!
Next: No Grumbling about Death