5 Lies the Enemy Tells Older Christian Women and the Truth from God’s Word

We have endless information available at our fingertips every hour of every day. If a young woman wants advice on marriage, parenting, how to thrive as a single, how to make wise career choices, or even something as simple as cooking tips, all she has to do is pick up her phone.

While our technology is a blessing in many ways, it's also leaving some of the older women in our churches feeling like they have nothing to offer. They believe the lies that they aren't needed. They believe the lie that a younger woman is better off searching for her answers online, rather than seeking answers from her.

God's Word says in Romans 12:4-5, "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." This should serve as a reminder that no matter a woman's age or stage of life, she is needed. She has a specific function that will benefit the body of Christ as a whole.

1 Corinthians 12:2 says, "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you." We cannot say of anyone in our church family, "we have no need of you." The older women are no exception. If you're a younger woman, help them to see that they are not only needed but valued.

Things change over time; we all know this to be true. Fashion, music, parenting styles, home decor, and even the usage of certain words change. Each generation is known for its unique style and approach to doing things, for better or for worse. While it's interesting to look back and compelling to wonder what will come in the future, these changes create anxiety in some older women.

They believe the lie that because their clothing and hairstyles differ, they parented differently, and they don't understand the jargon or recognize names of popular icons, they aren't going to be interesting enough to engage with. What will they talk about? What could you possibly have in common? These differences can leave older women feeling inferior and insecure.

2 Corinthians 4:16 says, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." It's okay for older women to feel a disconnect from what's popular with the younger ladies. What's most important about the older women is that they are still being renewed in their faith, day by day. This is one of many things the older women have to offer. This is why they will always be relevant.

Psalm 92:14 says, "They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him." The truth of God's Word is forever relevant, and the older women who can attest to His goodness and can point the younger women to Him will always have something to offer.

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The comparison game doesn't always stop with age. Many older women in our church families believe the lie that they aren't good enough. They think they aren't smart enough to teach a Bible class, to pour into younger women, or to even serve as a greeter.

The lie that we aren't good enough can also come from our pasts, as all of us have things in our pasts we're ashamed of. Sadly, there are precious older women in our church families who believe the lie that they aren't good enough to serve in any capacity. What better way for the enemy to keep a godly woman from serving than to whisper that she's not good enough?

Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God didn't wait to save us until we were "good enough." He saved us at our worst. His grace is not based on what we have or haven't done, but on His love and faithfulness to His children.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." The truth is, the only reason any of us are "good enough" is because of God's grace. May the older women learn to boast in their weakness and rest in His power.

Our culture is obsessed with youth. Botox treatments are at an all-time high, and we're constantly bombarded with every age-reversing serum under the sun. Growing old is rarely viewed as a privilege, but rather as an inconvenience that should be avoided.

When an older woman sees younger women fighting the aging process, it's easy to believe the lie that youth is preferred, valued, and celebrated over aging. This lie can escalate into the older woman feeling embarrassed or even ashamed of her graying hair and changing body.

Proverbs 16:31 tells us that, "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life." Older women need to resist our culture's obsession with youth, rather than resisting the cycle of life that God gave us. Age should be a testament to a life lived for the Lord, not a sign of failure.

Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." The older women need to feel confident in demonstrating their faith, which has developed over years of obedience to the Lord. The younger women actually need the older women to help them focus less on their aging bodies and more on their relationship with Christ.

It's common for older women, as their roles in life shift, to feel that they have lost their purpose. This lie seems to creep in after retiring from a decades-long career, or after becoming an empty nester or losing a spouse. This can be further complicated by an aging body that won't cooperate, hindering the older woman from doing things that once brought her joy.

This lie can lead to depression, isolation, and disengagement from the church body. This lie can morph into self-criticism, self-loathing, and even resentment towards God. A woman who feels she has no purpose will often look back on her life and question if any of her years had purpose. This is a lonely road and one that far too many women find themselves on.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." There is work for older women that can only be done by the older women—work that was prepared long ago by our Heavenly Father.

Specifically, Titus 2:4-5 instructs older women to "train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." This verse is telling older women to step into a vital role of mentorship, a role that is, simply put, purpose-filled.

If you are reading this as an older woman, please know you are needed. You are valued. You are vital to the health of the church body. The younger women need to hear the life lessons you've learned along the way. They need to hear about your successes and failures and how you've seen the Lord be faithful through it all.

If you are a younger woman reading this, may it help you find ways to include and encourage the older women in your life. You need them. They possess insight and wisdom that will guide you on your own journey through life.

May we all continue to work together as the body of Christ, encouraging one another, lifting one another up, and utilizing the gifts He has given each of us in each season of our lives.

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