Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The trade-offs of getting older

Even to your old age and gray hairs…I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (Isaiah 46:4).

I’ve noticed that with age, things are lost.  Your parents decline in health and independence until you finally say goodbye to them at the cemetery.  Friends that you’ve known for years disappear from your life—a big move separates you, a disagreement turns into a long-term grudge, or they pass from this world too soon for your liking. Your kids grow up and get busy establishing lives of their own.  Retirement leaves you restless and feeling unneeded.  Your stamina isn’t what it used to be, you get health problems more frequently, and many things you’ve always enjoyed have become bad for you.

But for all the things you lose due to age, there are just as many gains.  The delight of grandchildren, who see life with an excitement and sense of wonder that reminds you of how wonderful this big old world still is.  There are new friends to be made wherever you go, and with the passing of years, you are not so critical anymore of someone’s looks or fashion sense.  You learn the importance of giving your time to relationships, to communicating and forgiving, because you’ve come to realize that time wasted in needless fighting is time lost that can never be recovered.  You have time to read, time to work in a garden or walk in the woods, time to savor your coffee, time to just let the sunshine soak into your skin, time you didn’t have when life was more hectic.

But the biggest advantage of growing older is perspective. You can look back over decades of events and see the hand of God at work, solving problems that back then looked insoluble, carrying you through situations that seemed unendurable at the time.  Towards the end of life, death is something that is on you mind more and more.  Having perspective helps you see that the inevitable cannot be avoided, giving you incentive to really listen to Christ Jesus.  At this point in life, His promise of resurrection from the grave truly resonates with our desire to live and be healthy.  His assurance of peace and happiness that will never end gives us security when life becomes frightening and lonely.

Getting old has its drawbacks, but it brings many good things too.  The best thing about growing old is finding increased appreciation for Christ Jesus and all the wonderful things that He does for us.  He is our hope and our confidence as the end draws near.

Blog Top Sites
Blog Directory & Search engine
Blog Directory