“Life is hard and then you die…”

In many ways this statement is the mantra for our world. You see it on tee shirts and hear it quoted often. Originally written by author David Gerrold, it has become the cynical slogan for a world view. Life is hard. Things do not work out the way you thought they would. Relationships are difficult to sustain. You get sick. You worry about the economy. You get old. Job loss. Hair loss. Natural disasters strike. And on and on it goes.

Then you die. As if everything was not bad enough, it gets worse. You die. Life ends. If you think it is bad now… just wait. It gets worse. You work hard, try to survive, and then what happens? You die.

It is a cynical, depressing, laugh so won’t cry philosophy.

And I think the statement is true. Life is hard. Bad things happen.

Then we die. It will come to us all.

But I disagree with the outlook. I do not think it is bad news, and I do not think it is a matter of a bad time getting worse.

I see it as a message of hope because I believe in Jesus. I believe he is the answer to surviving a hard life. I think he is key to a life of joy, peace, hope, and purpose — no matter what happens in this life.

And then we die. But for those who know Jesus that is good news. We live forever with God. We will be in heaven where there is no pain, no death, and no evil. The place where God will wipe away all tears.

Real life is coming, and it is better than this one.
So here is good news: life is hard and then you die.

I would be honored to visit with you about that kind of hope.

Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org or join the blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.