3 Good Reasons for Parents to Embrace Aging - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 13
3 Good Reasons for Parents to Embrace Aging
By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading:
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16
We're all living in a world that wants us to believe it’s easy to find the next magic pill, new exercise, or diet strategy that will keep us eternally young—even in our old age. Yet we all know: this earthly life will end. None of us escapes this necessary passage, at whatever age God decides we're ready to stand in his presence.
The longer I live… and the more sweet opportunities I’m given to be present with younger people managing life challenges… the more I understand that getting old is a crown of glory (see Proverbs 16:31). We don't all get to arrive in our senior years. As we near them, we may be feeling the pain of letting go of our own parents. It brings us face to face with the finality of this side of heaven.
I've learned, though, while growing out my silver hair, wearing my glasses regularly, and giving up running for yoga, that life fosters compassion as your body weakens. If you're lucky enough to age into your 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond, you will undoubtedly be required to practice a lot of grace. With yourself, your spouse, your parents, and your similarly-aged friends.
A long life affords many blessings: raising children, buying homes, building or rebuilding marriages, watching adult children grow, hosting weddings, and so much more. But it also leaves your heart, soul, body, and mind a bit depleted of energy. The good news is that as you move up in years, you naturally overflow with experience. The kind of compassionate know-how that you simply didn't have when you were a teenager. Or when you were a new parent. Or when you were a new empty-nester.
When you start seeing that more of your life involves medical visits than vacations, some may feel that aging is something to avoid at all costs. But I believe it is an earned reward, rich in the kind of contentment that deeply satisfies. Here are just three reasons for parents to embrace growing old:
1. You’ve gained an abundance of wisdom.
Watching yourself age, even as you try to live a healthy, active life, requires you to relax your expectations. It softens your countenance and fills you with empathy, while creating a wellspring of wisdom. And the things you now know—like how to budget, pay bills, plan events, renovate homes, soothe fussy babies, chaperone trips, and on and on—are gifts to those who need you to show them that it can be done. Of course, I'm not suggesting you force your wisdom on anyone, but it's a good feeling to know that your guidance is based on evidence and carries value.
2. Your trust in God's eternal promises grows stronger than your anxiety about temporary circumstances.
The older you get, the more fortunate you are to have been given time to shift your focus to an everlasting hope that will never fade. And maybe this is because you’ve seen so many things end, break, leave, let go, and die. As you age, you realize that the external strength and beauty of your youth are not what carry you through the deepest struggles.
If you're a parent who's given the bonus of aging, there's hardly anything that compares to the privilege of loving your adult children as they advance in years as well. When you've lived long enough to see that people not only survive circumstances but thrive, you tend to worry less. No surficial issue becomes a be-all, end-all.
Over time, the simple, quiet joys of life and love are what sustain you. Being rich in love and patience becomes more important than climbing the ladder, amazing outfits, or expensive vacations. What matters when you realize you're simply not as strong as you used to be ... is believing wholeheartedly that God is always strong enough to carry you through.
3. You have more time and space for relaxation, joy, and new adventures.
Parenting has many seasons, all of which involve remaining utterly in love with your children. If you're lucky enough to grow old enough that love can expand across grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too. However, in the senior years, you realize they have lives of their own now. And you, or you and your spouse, have more open space to explore amusements, interests, or places you may have only dreamed of when your house was filled with people, pets, and responsibilities in far-busier, younger decades.
Hold on to the truth that although outwardly you may be “wasting away,” as our scripture says, your spirit is being renewed. So, go for those long walks. Ride your bike slowly. Take your kids out to dinner. Find weekend getaways. Or just enjoy a peaceful hobby that brings you joy. You’ve lived long enough to slow down… and let your faith be your strength.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider the joys and challenges of aging, why not:
- Find a new hobby that delights your soul
- Pick a place you’ve always wanted to see and go there with your spouse or best friend
- Choose several scripture verses that bring you peace and hope, and write them down somewhere you can see them regularly
Further Reading:
Psalm 91:16
Psalm 90:12
Psalm 92:12-14
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes
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