Let’s be honest. Aging is difficult. It means the loss of someone (a friend or a family member) or the loss of something (job, mobility, eyesight, hearing, memory), and I’d like to avoid it. Wouldn’t you? We can’t. No matter how much make-up we wear, we can’t erase the wrinkles. No matter how much we pretend, we can’t disguise the truth. Aging happens. To everyone. Don’t despair!
In the Book of Psalms, we find many positive statements about aging. One of my favorites is this one.
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.
Psalm 92: 12-15 (NIV)
How can we flourish as we age? We pursue righteousness. We remain in the “house of the LORD. That involves staying attached to others in the Body of Christ, where we receive encouragement, gentle correction, and accepting love. We remember and rely on Jesus, who is our Rock.
I received Jesus when I was a child. Throughout the decades of my life, the Holy Spirit has been growing me to become more like my Lord. He’s been my Rock in tough times of illness, disappointment, and loss. He often awakens me with a song or a poem. As I remain connected to him, I continue to flourish. You can, too.
The Spirit may not give you a poem or a song. It could be a word of encouragement, a gift of helping, or perhaps even a gift of receiving help and showing gratitude. Most importantly, you can pray.