The peace that passes all understanding
Editing the obituaries published each week is one of the more solemn parts of my work. It’s a task that reminds me daily of the preciousness of life and the fleeting nature of our time here. Every name represents a life lived, a grieving family and a legacy left behind. Most weeks, I can approach this responsibility with the respectful detachment it requires. But some weeks, like this one, the words hit closer to home.
In the past few days, I’ve worked on obituaries for people I’ve known personally, shedding tears while saying a goodbye of my own. Their stories—now reduced to a few paragraphs— brought back a flood of memories. They were more than names on a page. They were friends, mentors and part of the fabric of my own life. And then there are the others, the friends of friends and loved ones of acquaintances, whose names I didn’t recognize but whose stories tugged at my heart just the same. Their families, too, are walking through the valley of grief, carrying the weight of loss that feels unbearable in the moment.
It’s in these times that I’m most reminded of the peace that passes understanding—the kind of peace that only Jesus offers. When the world feels heavy and sorrow threatens to overwhelm, His peace is the anchor that keeps me grounded. It’s the quiet assurance that God’s love remains constant, even in the face of life’s most painful uncertainties.
Death is a cruel and unrelenting reality, and no amount of editing or careful phrasing can soften its blow. But what I’ve learned, both in my work and in my own life, is that God’s love is even more unrelenting. It pursues us in our grief, wraps us in comfort and reminds us that our hope is not found in the temporary but in the eternal.
As I reflect on the lives represented in those obituaries this week, I’m reminded to cherish the moments we have, to love more deeply and to lean into the unshakable truth that God is with us in every season. It doesn’t take away the sting of loss, but it offers a peace that carries us through it.
For those grieving today, my prayer is that you find that peace—the peace that surpasses understanding, the peace that reminds us we are never alone.
