Knowing this doesn’t magically solve your problems, and it certainly doesn’t make life any easier. The struggles you face will be present regardless of this knowledge. But “life sucks, and then you die” can serve as a reminder that you’ve been here before, you will be here again, and, despite that, you’re still standing.

Following Jesus, then, isn’t just a call to go to church on Easter or keep a Bible on a bookshelf. It’s a call to become like Him. To think how He thought, to live like He lived, to treat others in light of His sacrifice for them.