God created our bodies to age, which can mean more pain, aches, and doctor’s visits than we’d like to have. We don’t have the same dexterity or energy as our youth, and there’s nothing we can do about it. But the good news is that we have more time to spend with God. What a blessing!
The Bible has numerous examples of the Lord using elderly women and men to do his work and his calling. God can and will still use seniors until we’re taken to be with him. As long as we breathe, the Lord has a plan and purpose for our lives. He’s not finished with us yet.
This is an encouragement and inspiration for every senior to make their golden years the best of their lives!
When we are younger, we focus on careers and family, but as kids have families of their own and we work less or retire, we have more time to do God’s work. Living for the Lord and helping further his earthly kingdom ensures a happy ending for us.
Let’s take a look at some things God wants seniors to know and do!
1. Stay flexible and keep learning
No matter how many times we’ve read the Bible or how many sermons we hear, the Holy Spirit has something refreshing and new to teach us. Seniors’ Bibles should be well-worn from making notes, reading, and highlighting. A legacy we will leave to our family.
If we want to be relevant to the next generation, we also need to keep up with technology. Personally, I think our children and grandchildren are way more communicative if we text. When we call, we often get their voicemail, but they respond quickly to text messages.
While elderly people have more time to talk, younger people are often working or in school. Texting may not be our favorite means of communication, but it’s theirs. Hence, better a text than silence.
2. Pass down your faith to the next generation
The Lord commands one generation to share life experiences and His faithfulness with the next generation. It’s God’s plan for the continuation and growth of the church. Discipleship and mentoring are ways for one generation to train and teach the next generation.
It’s a misconception and the work of the enemy to discourage seniors into thinking they are no longer valuable or that their younger peers aren’t interested in what they have to say. Seldom is that true.
The Lord explains his plan for the generations to connect in Titus 2:1–7, where the apostle Paul guides Pastor Titus, who is setting up a church plant in Crete comprised of all generations. Young Pastor Titus followed older Paul’s advice, and his church thrived.
Paul understood mentoring and discipleship.
3. Enjoy
Whether it’s grandparenting or sitting out in the garden in the morning with my coffee and my Bible, I often tell my friends that the Lord saved the best for last. My husband and I were lucky to move to a rural area where there are many seniors. Joining and serving in the local community church offers us the opportunity to experience an enjoyable spiritual and social life with like-minded friends.
My 80-year-old friend and neighbor have a wonderful garden. Her happy place is weeding and taking care of her plants in the quiet morning coolness. She always tells me she feels close to God while gardening and taking in the beauty of His creation. We all need to find a happy place.
The world we’re living in now is very different from the world of our youth. It’s easy to get depressed and discouraged watching the core values we were used to demolish and degrade. We must not let it ruin the joy of life, as this world is not our home.
The Lord doesn’t want us depressed or sad. He wants us to be involved in things where he leads us to make a positive difference.
Nehemiah wasn’t a young man when he set out to rebuild the broken wall in Jerusalem, but he had plenty of insightful advice for everyone living in a broken world. We have to remember to smile, laugh, and have fun. As Mark Twain famously once said, wrinkles should only indicate where smiles have been.
Nehemiah also leads us to enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and give some to those who have nothing prepared. Be happy because the joy of God is your strength.
4. You are a source of wisdom
To reach the next generation, we need to embrace their way of communication, their style of worship, and their world. If we want to affect their lives, that is, to wisely guide them in the ways of righteousness, we need to care about the things they care about, speak their language, and approach them with love and a desire to understand what is important to them.
Speak the truth, but always do so with love and not with condescension. We’ve been through things and learned a lot from our life experiences, and younger people may need to go through their own life-shaping experiences, but we can be a ready source of wisdom and information when the timing is right.
Seniors can inspire friends and family by sharing their testimonies before and after Christ as an encouragement. The younger generation may not know the stories of their heritage and familial ancestors, and seniors have a wealth of family history and tales. The formers only have so much to learn from the latter.
5. Strive to stay active when possible
Many clubs, gyms, communities, and retirement homes have senior workout programs to keep our bodies working and focus on balance to prevent falls. Walking is always a great way to keep the joints moving and blood flowing.
Joining a Bible study group or book club gets us out of the house, interacting with others, and keeping our minds active. Serving on a ministry team at church or on a committee is productive, even if it’s helping in the church library or kitchen, greeting on Sunday morning, folding bulletins, or maybe even doing research for the pastor’s sermons. Surrounding yourself with other people gives you an opportunity to encourage each other.
6. Pray for family and friends
Even when our bodies don’t let us move as quickly as we would like, or maybe illness takes a toll on us, keeping us bedridden, we can always pray for everyone the Lord puts on our hearts.
I know many agree that the prayers of our grandparents helped us become the individuals we are today. Let your prayer list know you are praying for them with a text, phone call, or card. I’ve never seen anyone turn down prayer.
I heard one good friend of mine say that before she retired, it was always a quick cup of coffee and a Scripture before hurrying out to work. Now, she has all day to enjoy her coffee and spend time with God.
The Lord reminds us throughout the Bible that he’ll never forsake or leave us. He knew us since we were in our mother’s womb, and he has counted the hair strands on our heads and our days spent on this earth.
When we remember the miracles he has done in our lives and his vow to be with us until the final day, we can be at peace with and embrace the plans he has for us today. The Lord wants seniors to keep moving forward and live their lives to the fullest.
7. Remain close to God
It’s not easy to observe our bodies, and perhaps our minds will begin to age. Spending time with God every day, sometimes all day, reading the Bible, and basking in his love for us and his presence helps ease pain and even loneliness, knowing we are never alone with the Lord by our side.
His word is a constant reminder of his love for us, and it is only a prayer away. As followers of Christ, we await with anticipation our ultimate home with him.
If you liked our article, you may also want to read 10 Prayers That Never Go Unnoticed by God.
