Recalibrating: Aging with Purpose
How old is “old”? Pick a number in your head.
According to a 2019 global study, “those who are 16-24 believe old age begins at 61. This rises to 72 for those aged between 55-64.” The younger you are, the younger you think “old” begins.
The older you get, the older you think “old” really is.
We live in a world that struggles with aging. Not only do people fear death, but they may fear that their meaning, purpose, and impact are declining alongside aging.
For those who follow Jesus, aging is not something merely happening to us. It is something God desires to use in us. Aging can deepen our wisdom, loosen our grip on this world, increase our longing for heaven, and sharpen our focus on God’s mission for us on earth.
Aging: Rejecting the pattern of this world
There is nothing wrong with remaining healthy, strong, and active as we age. But we live in a world that is fixated on resisting getting old. The anti-aging industry generated over 77 billion dollars in revenue last year. And Americans "dominated the global anti-aging market with 40% of the market share.”
Paul David Tripp writes about this in his book, Lost in the Middle: “Not many people in Western culture look forward to old age. With the high value we put on physical beauty and physical youth and with the constant emphasis that is placed on physical health, it is hard to be positive about aging.”
Our determination to resist the aging process may be one way we conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2). There is an illusion in resisting aging. It is a false belief that we can control our lives. If Jesus is transforming us by the renewing of our minds, we trust that He has numbered our days, and that there is tremendous opportunity in our elder years.
Aging: Wisdom Gained and Shared
Being older does not make us wise. Wisdom begins with a reverent relationship with God (Proverbs 9:10) and grows as we integrate what God is teaching us. Wisdom is a gift from God meant to be shared with others.
In many cultural contexts, wise people are called elders, and Chip Conley highlights the role of elders in his book, Wisdom at Work:
“It's time to liberate the term "elder" from the word "elderly." Elderly refers solely to years lived on the planet. "Elder" refers to what one has done with those years. Many people age without synthesizing wisdom from their experience. But elders reflect on what they've learned and incorporate it into the legacy they offer younger generations.”
As we age, the wisdom accumulated produces a responsibility to share it with others. The most meaningful wisdom we can share is the surpassing value of a reverent, awe-filled worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and living to His glory. The more we live in Jesus, the more we desire to share this life with others.
Aging Accelerates our Longing for Heaven
Aging is hard. Our bodies ache. People we love die. We feel our limitations. These experiences loosen our grip on this world and strengthen our hope for heaven. Every day on earth we are closer to our eternal home.
Aging does not scare us anymore, even if the process of dying could. Aging is an opportunity to embrace our mortality on earth and our immortality once we enter heaven
For those whose hope rests in the promise of eternal life with Jesus, aging can accelerate our eternal perspective. The more we long for heaven, the more we desire to live on mission on earth - to see more people embrace Him as Savior and Lord.
Aging Sharpens Our Mission on Earth
Knowing we have a limited time remaining can recalibrate our priorities. Age has a way of honing our focus. When we were young, we probably thought, “I have lots of time left.” Aging changes that perspective. We now know that our time is limited, so now we are asking questions like, “How can I make myself more available to God in these remaining years? How can I serve Him wholeheartedly?”
As Jesus was completing his earthly ministry, these were some of his last words to his disciples:
John 15:16 - “You did not choose me, but I chose you, and have appointed you to go and bear fruit that would last.”
We are not any less appointed in our elder years than when we were “in our prime.” In fact, we have more margin, more awareness, and more confidence in God to invest in others.
Boa writes in Recalibrate Your Life that our elder years are a season of “abundant opportunity and potential…a time when you can use me in new ways. Do these things for your glory, for the greatest good of others, and my growth.”
The eagerness with which we desire to participate in God’s kingdom dwarfs our fear of aging.
Aging with Anticipation
Instead of fearing the years ahead, we can receive them with anticipation. God is not done with us. God is still forming us, still using us, and still bearing fruit through us. Then we will finally hear, “Well done.”
Wherever you are in the process of thinking about your Encore, there are a few simple next steps to choose from:
If you’d like to talk one-on-one, I’d be glad to connect.
Or if you’d rather ease into the conversation, you’re welcome to join us for one of our weekly lunches.
