Peace in the Middle of a Crash

Before I received eternal life I had a vivid fear of dying.

I can remember lying awake at night, tossing and turning while I contemplated the unknown. I asked "What will happen to me when I die?"

Then someone shared with me the peace that comes from knowing with certainty that I would go to heaven one day. In that moment, I received eternal life.

Now that I have eternal life, I no longer have that paralyzing fear of death. While that may sound like an impossible change, I think I can illustrate it for you.

Once on a snow skiing trip, our bus was forced off a mountain road and began sliding on its side down a steep ravine. I can remember the sounds of splintering trees, breaking windows and screaming bus passengers. Snow was being forced into the bus through broken windows while ski boots and poles were tumbling around in the out of control bus. Had we not come to rest against a large tree, I have no doubt that we would have fallen off a cliff with much loss of life. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured; but, every passenger on that bus realized we had faced death head on. Amazingly, my previous fear was replaced by a peace, almost an expectancy, brought about by the knowledge that if I died in that accident, the next moment I would wake up in heaven.

Now I not only have peace for eternity, I also have God's full complement of peace for everyday living.