There was a death in my family this week. My 99-year-old grandmother, who I adored, passed away quietly in her sleep. This was a great loss for me, but a great gain for her. She knew Jesus. He was her Savior and Lord. And He has now saved her from her earthly decline and raised her to the heavenly realms. She is now free from the limitations of an old failing body. This is good, but I will miss her.

In my sadness, I have been looking to Scripture for comfort. I realized that I have a choice to make. I can either focus on temporal or the eternal. I can focus on my temporary loss or my grandmother’s great gain. It seems clear that I must learn to let go of the temporal and cling to the eternal. It is all that really matters.

“For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:53–57, ESV)

This is so true, but still, it isn’t easy to keep this focus. The temporal reaches my five senses and inundates them with clamor and noise, demanding my constant attention. My feelings of sadness and loss are unpleasant emotions and they feel overwhelming at times. It comes down to this. I have a choice on how to deal with it. I can waste time allowing the temporary nature of this life consume me. Or I can make the most of my time and effort by doing work with eternal consequence.

Thoughts of death encouraged the Apostle Paul to keep an eternal focus. He was able to persevere through great difficulty and loss because the temporary had no power over him. He lived with an eternal view. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:28, ESV) He also said, “it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20–21, ESV)

Grandma has gained!