How can we find joy in the face of death?

 

It’s a question many struggle with—and rightly so. The pain of loss is real, and mourning is a heavy burden. But what if we viewed death not as an ending, but as a completion? Not with despair, but with hope?

 

I was blessed to spend time with my dear brother in Christ, Randy. As we talked, he shared something that struck me deeply. He spoke about being there when his mother passed—how he held her in those final moments. And what he said wasn’t sorrowful or morbid. He called it a blessing.

 

Here’s how he put it:

 

“Your parents gave birth to you—they gave you life through the blessing of God. And to be there when life comes full circle and heaven’s gate opens for them… I feel that’s the closest to heaven you can get until it’s our time.”

 

What a powerful perspective. What if we saw those final moments not only through the lens of loss, but through the lens of glory? The Word tells us:

 

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants.”

— Psalm 116:15

 

Death is not the end for those in Christ—it’s the door. It’s the reunion. It’s the reward.

 

Randy didn’t mourn because she was gone—he mourned the separation. And that’s what grief truly is: the ache of being apart from someone you love. But for believers, separation is temporary. Jesus made a way where death has no sting and the grave has no victory (1 Corinthians 15:55).

 

So today, I encourage you: don’t fear death. Don’t hide from it. If you are given the chance to be by the side of someone you love when they leave this earth, embrace it. It may just be one of the most sacred, heaven-kissed moments you ever experience.

 

For in that moment, you’re not just saying goodbye—you’re witnessing the opening of heaven’s gate.

 

-Rev Carlos Figueroa