The Best Aging Defense

I watched as my 83-year-old father blew bubbles for the bride and groom at a recent family wedding. My sister snapped a photo just in time to capture delight on his face. The moment made my heart swell with admiration for my dad. Though his body is growing weary, and my mother has gone to heaven before him, he lives each day accepting the blessings and burdens of aging with gratitude and hope.

Unfortunately, Western culture glorifies youth and frowns at old age as though it were something that could be avoided. Services and products promising to preserve youth abound, and we tend to insist on rebelling against the inevitable. No matter what your age today, the question is the same for us all: How do we handle the passing of our youth?

“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life” (Proverbs 16: 31). Instead of dreading the latter years of life, why not don your crown of splendor and approach every age with trust, gratitude and hope?

Trust

Age introduces new worries about relationships, health, money and death. Thankfully, God has an answer for worry: trust. “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust” (Psalm 40:4). When you trust in Him, you won’t concern yourself with things beyond your control because you believe your life is in His hands. He has been faithful in the past, so you can rest assured He will never fail you or forsake you, even if your Social Security check falls short. When you’ve done all you can to ensure retirement stability, trust God to take care of the details you cannot cover.

Gratitude

As birthdays continue to come and go, focus on what you have been given, not on what you no longer have. Be grateful for the memories and the lessons of your past. The older you are, the more blessings you should be able to count! Thank others for their contributions to your life. Gratitude will not change your circumstances, but it will change your perspective. When you are thankful, your eyes are open to seeing miracles and blessings even in ordinary things.

Hope

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:21-25).

Hope is a state of anticipation, optimism and expectation. True hope offers a glimpse of an eternal picture.

Last year, my friend’s 91-year-old father lay dying in the hospital. During his final days, he whispered words of gratitude. He had trusted God, loved others and maintained an attitude of thanksgiving even when his health was failing. His last words to his family were, “The best is yet to come!” He had hope when he needed it most.

Age brings change. Your body will change, your living arrangements may change and some of your friends might go to heaven before you do. It is normal to resist these transitions, but that is not God’s desire for your life. “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green” (Psalm 92:12-14).

As trust and gratitude usher in hope, you’ll find that fear and uncertainty are replaced with beauty. Keep your eyes and heart open so you don’t miss the moments that matter and the blessings He brings.