²²Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, ²³for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

When trials and persecution come, a casualty often comes in the form of strained relationships. When a child suffers with a terminal illness, for example, the parents can find themselves clashing because of differing ways of handling the strain and burden. Suffering focuses our attention on ourselves and our pain. Peter’s readers were doing well in their “sincere love” for their fellow believers, but they could easily lose the fellowship they were enjoying. So he encourages them to take their love to the next level.

Peter does not give examples of what he means, probably because this should be obvious to those he characterizes as obedient to the truth and who have purified their souls. The word for “purify” is the verb form related to the word “holy” found earlier, “. . . like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16). Peter is commending them for already doing that, and he challenges them to continue to improve on that effort, not just with their “souls” in a spiritual choice, but also with their “hearts,” extending to an affectionate concern.

Such an instruction as this may seem otherworldly or super-spiritual, meant for the giants of the faith, written for another time and place. But all of us who are true believers have been born again and are capable of choosing to live holy lives. Why and how? We have been given the supernatural Word of God, the Scripture, that enlivens us. Its truth never changes and is good throughout all life experiences, even the trials and tribulations. God’s Word will never change; it will never fade away like some philosophical fad. His Word is not just a popular set of self-help guidelines, popular for a certain time and culture in history. The Bible is God’s breathed Word, inspired. As Jesus said, “heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matt. 24:35, also Matt. 5:18). God’s Word is imperishable.

In times of difficulty, God’s truth becomes our anchor, our guide, our spiritual nourishment. We can live out our holy lives in relationship with other believers. We must fan the embers of fellowship—eagerly, intently, and constantly, even in the midst of trials that vex us deeply. Because of God’s supernatural Word in our lives, we can love others even when it is hard to do so.

Lord, even in my pain, help me to focus outwardly, to love others in their need.