Does Getting Older Make You Feel Less Useful?
Do you get excited seeing all the candles on your birthday cake? Or do the growing number of candles feel more like a combustible reminder that you ain’t as young as you once were?
Are you feeling old? Less purposeful?
Several years ago, I read a Bible verse that helps me see my life in a different light as I deal with the issues of getting older. Deuteronomy 30:20 (ESV) keeps me on track to finish well.
[Love] the Lord your God, [obey] his voice and [hold] fast to him, for he is your life and length of days.
These five words especially caught my attention: “for he is your life.”
When I consider everything this short phrase could mean for me personally, a stirring desire grows in my soul: to live as if God Himself (the Creator of the universe, the King of kings) is my purpose for living.
Recently, I had another birthday. Like you, I sometimes mourn for the days when I felt more energetic, more vibrant. But if I lived as if my heavenly Father was my life, not my desperate need to one-up the Joneses, He would become the center of all my dreams and goals. If I allow God to teach me how to make these desires real in my life, I can only imagine how much I’ll have to celebrate by my next birthday.
What about you? As you age, do you find it hard to believe God still has plans for you? Do you wonder if He still has a purpose for your life? How differently would you celebrate your next birthday if, for the remaining months leading up to your special day, you lived as if God was the center of your life? How different would your perspective be about each day God gives you?
I pray we’ll all be encouraged by Deuteronomy 30:20 so much that we can encourage others who are struggling with getting older. As we model what it looks like to hold fast to God, others will see His faithfulness and goodness in our lives, no matter how many candles we have on our cake.
Are you getting excited about living fully for God?
Let’s ask God to help us to love, obey and trust Him and to celebrate life because … He is our life.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Your comment might also benefit others.)
- Do you struggle with getting older?
- If so, in what ways?
- Would meditating on Deuteronomy 30:20 help you gain a better perspective about your life?
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Good morning Sheryl! As far as my birthday and getting older.I have always been very thankful God gave me another year to serve him. Sheryl you know i dealt with seziures coming back in my life in high school. Then I had a major one in college but,with God’s help Igot my jr college degree. Later on in two thousand and nine.They placed a VNS in me. Everything went well until they took me off my second medication. Then migraines because chronic in my life but,through the three years bedridden. God never left my side.I finally got under the care of a headache specialist. Which meant we had to travel out of Alabama to Mississippi to see him. Finally my husband saw how hard the trips were on me and, so he transferred to a Wal-Mart the city he was practicing in.it wasn’t until covid hit and ,I had to stop a major infussion and,trust in God that daily medication and a once a month shot would control my migraines. Thank be to God I am migraine free.Through it all God has shown me how I can encourage others. My husband teases me on my birthday every year by reveversing the numbers and,when he did it this year. I told him I am proud to be 65 years old and, I am very thankful he has brought me this far and,even though times are challenging God is growing me more in my daily walk with him. I am a work in progress but,still growing closer to God in my walk as I get a day older.I am thankful that through His grace and mercy I am made new each and every day.
Your story, Susan, is a WONDERFUL testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
You are very welcome and,thank you for sharing your devotional and making us think about how God is working in our lives daily.
Yes, He is our life. When we realize that no matter how old we are or how sick we may be, God always has a purpose for our days! Even though we may be slower than we used to be, as we continue to grow in Him, we can help others with the Godly wisdom and knowledge God gives us to share! Mentoring those younger Christians to be the best they can be for Him, especially those with families of their own to raise in a Christ like manner! Thanks Sheryl!✝️
Yes!! I especially love what you said about mentoring the younger Christians, Kim. What a lovely way to glorify God as we grow older physically – and (especially) spiritually.
Many of us struggle with aging in different ways. What about you?
It has been my pleasure, Susan! Please pray for me that my writing (and ladies’ group ministry, Women of the Word) will glorify our Lord and Savior.
My wife and I live in an active retirement community where a majority of people have very white hair. I say they are blessed because God has allowed them to live that long! Thank you, Sheryl, for reminding us that our Lord and God is our life and has a purpose for all of us always.
Hello, dear friend! I always love it when you stop by Today Can Be Different.
I hope to see you often. And please tell your wife hello for me.