Far Better

The Finish

Paul names a genuine, honest tension here, in a strait betwixt two, worth holding as permission for whatever complicated, mixed feelings your own aging or mortality may honestly produce, not simple, uncomplicated eagerness for death, nor simple, uncomplicated fear of it, but this named, genuine tension between two real desires.

Notice which is far better, Paul’s own honest assessment of departing to be with Christ, worth examining against whatever fear may have made this feel entirely negative, only loss, rather than Paul’s own honest naming, far better, a genuine, positive comparison, not merely the lesser of two difficult options.

This is worth holding as needed correction against treating death, for the believer, as purely something to be feared or avoided, rather than Paul’s own more complicated, honest assessment, genuinely torn, and yet genuinely naming what comes after as far better, not merely acceptable but actually, honestly preferred.

Whatever strait betwixt two currently describes your own honest feelings about aging or mortality, hold it today with Paul’s own honest complexity, not forced into simple, uncomplicated feeling in either direction, but genuine tension, held alongside his own honest assessment, to be with Christ, which is far better.