This personal reflection explores grief and the doctrine of God's faithfulness through the lens of 1 Peter 1:24-25, contrasting the temporal frailty of human life and earthly glory with the eternal endurance of God's Word and the Gospel. The author illustrates how maintaining a mind "stayed on Christ" (Isaiah 26:3) provides peace during loss and demonstrates the believer's imperishable inheritance obtained through Christ's precious blood (1 Peter 1:4), rather than through perishable things. Through meditation on Scripture and God's faithfulness during personal suffering, the article emphasizes how dwelling on Christ's promises protects against despair and anchors believers in eternal hope.
What does the Bible say about the frailty of life?
The Bible teaches that all flesh is like grass, fading and perishing, while the word of the Lord endures forever (1 Peter 1:24-25).
As believers, we are confronted with the reality that our earthly life is temporary but are provided with the profound hope that God’s word and promises endure eternally. This truth encourages us not to place our hope in the perishable aspects of life but in the everlasting Gospel, which assures us of redemption through Christ, whose blood was shed for our salvation. Understanding this frailty leads to a deeper appreciation for the grace and eternity God offers through faith in Him.
1 Peter 1:24-25
Why is focusing on Christ important during grief?
Focusing on Christ during grief brings peace and understanding, helping believers navigate their sorrow (Isaiah 26:3).
This active focus on Christ takes intentional effort, especially when faced with emotional pain and memories of what has been lost. The Holy Spirit helps believers to process these feelings while redirecting thoughts towards the eternal truths found in Scripture. By doing so, believers find not only comfort but also strength to endure hardships, knowing that their peace is rooted not in circumstances but in their relationship with Christ, who conquers death and provides everlasting life.
Isaiah 26:3
How do we know the Gospel is enduring?
The Gospel is enduring because it is based on the eternal word of God, which surpasses all earthly things (1 Peter 1:25).
Moreover, the redemptive work of Christ, cemented in His sacrifice and resurrection, sprang forth from this eternal word, confirming its truthfulness and relevance across all generations. In a world characterized by uncertainty, the enduring nature of the Gospel provides a steadfast hope to believers, reminding them of the inheritance that will never fade away. Through faith, they partake in this eternal promise, reinforcing the significance of clinging to God's word as the ultimate source of strength and assurance.
1 Peter 1:25
It has been five months since my husband died and this month has had many reminders of him. It was his birthday on the 14th of the month and it was a very bitter sweet day because I wanted to wish him another happy birthday and fix him a gooey chocolate cake. Last year one day after his birthday we had to evacuate the town because of the fire. He was my main concern that day because I didn’t have any oxygen for him and along with me he was kind of scared. We were cared for by dear friends who even boarded out their own dogs so that they wouldn’t disturb my dog and they took such good care of my Chugi because they knew his limitations! There was Easter Sunday too and I always loved to cook for him on any holiday that I could. My family was here this year and we again missed having the men with their wondering….’how soon is dinner going to be ready’ and missed sitting down with them at the table and enjoying the bounty the Lord provided!
Certainly the pain of loss has lessened in intensity on a daily basis and the longing too yet they remain and they surface often in my mind. That is one reason I’ve been writing about this journey so as to remember, to look back and to understand how the Lord has worked and what He has taught. Little things still simply come and go in my thoughts, for instance the thought that it was always Chug and Eileen and now it’s just Eileen. That makes for somewhat of an identity crisis because the first part of that equation is missing and so realizing how far reaching a death is stuns me sometimes in even just the little things. It’s like……….’Oh I never thought of that” and so it is added to my grieving experience.
I have realized once again how our mind (called our heart interchangeable in scripture) is where all things begin and I’m really being taught through this grief process that we truly are at peace when our mind is stayed on Christ, hence my perfect peace post. If I dwell continually in my mind on the loss and let the longing over power me I could easily spend my days totally depressed and in a funk, I am after all very human. But………..the Lord has been truly merciful in giving the understanding and application of that one verse in Scripture amongst so many and so He moves my thoughts to Him and His Faithfulness and I’m so thankful that He does.
The tulips are blooming again but more abundantly this year. Last year after the fire we had one tulip blooming; this year we have quite a few. I’ve been reminded of the frailty of life even in the flowers and I think of 1 Peter 1:24-25:
“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."
Life is frail and perishing, just as the flower which fades and falls away. We look upon one another and we see the outward temporal things that are fading away, the glory of man. Perhaps it is the vigor of youth or the years that the body is strong and hardworking, the prime years or the childbearing years and the raising of families. These glories of man are all fading and wither away to finally be cut down by death. BUT… (see there is that wonderful word but which generally points us to that which we cling to in the Lord), as believers we have the Gospel which endures forever. We haven’t been redeemed by any perishable things, by silver or gold or by corruptible man. We have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and through His blood we have obtained an inheritance that will never fade away like the flower. (1 Peter 1:4)
Keeping my mind stayed on Christ,
Grace and Peace!
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