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Growing Older

Created Date: 1-Oct-2016
Everything always is changing in our lives

Last updated: 23-Jun-2024
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Sections:
 
1 Preface 2 Is is Okay to Grieve for a Period of Time
3 Some Ideas on Helping with Growing Older 4 A Partial List of Scriptures to Consider
5 For Women, author anonymous 6 In The End from Alan Bean
7 Extra: A book reference 8 A Prayer

Preface

Growing older should be a good thing for everyone but there are some obstacles to overcome which requires a little understanding and faith in the Lord to guide us through all events that are common to everyone.

Common problems to all of us that cause depression, loneliness, fear, anxiety and medical problems are listed here. Note that it is okay and perfectly normal to grieve where there may be a season of time to heal.  Here is a small list of events that we all face:

The following link is a wonderful explanation of the Christian Maturity growth that should be occurring from Jordan Peterson.  This author has taken Jordan's brief summary in the video and have done some augmentation and paraphrased steps with a title:

Stage Title Details
1 Alone All of us are initially immature in our perspectives of life
2 Myopic We only see the present time around us and only think of ourselves.
3 Possibilities We see the future in longer and longer durations where there is other people.
4 (a) Sacrifice for the future We sacrifice ourselves in the present, with good actions, for the future desired reality that includes other people caring about our actions with reciprocal friendship and actions.
   (b) No Sacrifice If we do not sacrifice good actions for the future,  then we can stay dangerously immature and psychopathic because we have remained self-centered and narcissistic.  Narcissistic psychopaths always will eventually fail in life which is not good for themselves, and absolutely not good for others
5 The Best Future We must perform good acts of sacrificing ourselves to mature in our lives that is for helping others.  In this action we recognize our thoughts of pleasure for doing in the present what will give dividends for others brings happiness. 
6 Best Sacrifice to God We have to offer up everything of ourselves to God to what is transcendent. 

This is the pattern given to us in the entirety of the scriptures, where God has exactly done this with the gift of Jesus Christ's teaching us and payment for our sins when we were separated from God so that we could be with Him in Eternity future.

It is Okay to Grieve for a Period of Time

Note that it is okay and perfectly normal to grieve where there is a season as described in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

  1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
  2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
  3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
  4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
  5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
  6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
  7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
  8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Some Ideas on Helping with Growing Older

The solution is actually very straightforward and only requires putting into action what we know from the scriptures as a whole. Before listing some scriptures, consider this summary statements for moving forward in order of importance:
  1. Strengthen yourself with daily time to learn more from the scriptures with reverence to speak and hear from God.
  2. Focus always on daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals.   The idea is to always find purpose in life at all ages.
  3. Treat each day as a victory that you are closer to spending eternity with God.
  4. Always know that you will be in eternity with your parents and other loved ones who have gone before you whom were in the Lord's keeping, so they are only temporarily absent from your life.  Knowing this will remind yourself that you are never alone and the reunion with God and others is coming where you are just waiting your turn to enter. There is perfect joy with God, where we will have perfect friendships with countless people in eternity.
  5. Exercise at least an hour a day, if possible, as God made our bodies to function healthier and with more mental clarity with exercise. It is shown that exercise releases positive endorphins for positive mood.  This is also including eating correctly with vitamin supplements.
  6. Do not dwell on the past and in fact try not to reminisce at all unless it is to laugh and feel good.  Reminiscing can be a negative when it is used as a tool to escape reality.  The clich is "remember the good old days".  When we were in those "good old days" we most likely didn't know it.  Therefore, we should always realize that "the good old days" are potentially now with more life to live.
  7. Old photos are great to hang on the walls but they should be treasures and not memorials. If they are memorials that bring out negative thoughts such as loneliness, then remove them.
  8. Watching movies and sports are great but distance yourself from going beyond the movie or sports to find out about the actor and sports figure, who too often have lives not worthy of being considered exemplary.  People often admire a sport figure or great actor because of the performance which does not necessarily mean they can live up to the expectations that our imaginations envisioned of them.  Just enjoy the movie or sporting event. 
  9. Stay away from using alcohol, marijuana or prescriptions as a means of escaping or as a coping mechanism.  Alcohol, marijuana or prescription antidepressants can mask a problem and can make any situation worse because all problems require steps in dealing with them and not ignoring it.  (Obviously, some people require prescription antidepressants for chemical imbalances and that is an exception.)

A Partial List of Scriptures to Consider

Concerning Heaven and Eternity:

Revelation 21:4 He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and in death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Loss of Son, Daughter and close friends:

When King David lost his infant son from Bathsheba, the Holy Spirit let David know he will see him again, which applies to us in those we have lost too early in life.

2 Samuel 12:23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

We know King David is saved and will be in eternity with all of us, so when David said he would see his son again then it was a reference to eternity.  There is also wonderful and joyful knowledge that the Age of Accountability principle is from the Love of God.

Those we love that have died, know about us:

In Matthew 17:1-3, Jesus takes Peter, James and John to a high mountain where they are visited by Moses and Elijah whom had died many centuries before.   Even Jesus Christ enjoyed speaking to those who have departed this earth, who He missed during His mission that dealt with taking on the sins of the world and crucifixion.  Everyone that we have known that have Salvation and have died, know how we are doing and we can pray to God to let them know we miss and love them.

Matthew 17:1-3 1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Our Earthly Bodies are Temporary.  Eternity awaits us:

In Matthew 27:52-53 we learn that the burial tombs of the departed saints (believers) at Christ's death were opened and the saints appeared to many in the city of Jerusalem

Matthew 27:52-53 52 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

 These were witnesses to a life after death for us all.  Those who were waiting for Jesus Christ's death on the Cross, could then leave the good compartment of upper Sheol to be present with God for eternity.

Everyone we loved and loved us are waiting for us:

In Hebrews 12:1 when considering those who have gone before us, Jesus Christ let us know comforting and amazing news.  We are instructed to keep going in a our earthly life as if we are in a race to finish first place.

Hebrews 12:1-2 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have guarding angels to also help us:

We have ministering angels encamping around us as written in many scriptures like Hebrews 1:7.  So, we are never alone even when we do not see anyone.  These are what we all have heard as "Guardian Angels".

Hebrews 1:7 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Our time on Earth is really short:

Realize our time is short so we should make the most of it. 

Psalm 90:10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

For Women, author anonymous

This came from an anonymous source:

"Have you ever thought: I m fat , I m old , I m not enough. , or "I was young once". To all my female friends from 40 years and up: Most of us are going through the next phase of our lives. We're at that age where we see wrinkles, gray hair, and extra pounds. We see the cute 25-year-olds and reminisce. But we were also 25, just as they will one day be our age. We aren't the "girls in their summer clothes" anymore. What they bring to the table with their youth and zest, we bring our wisdom and experience. We have raised families, run households, paid the bills, dealt with diseases, sadness, and everything else life has assigned us. Some of us have lost those that were nearest and dearest to us.

We are survivors. We are warriors in the quiet. We are women, like a classic car or a fine wine. Even if our bodies aren't what they once were, they carry our souls, our courage, and our strength.  We shall all enter this chapter of our lives with humility, grace, and pride over everything we have been through, and we should never feel bad about getting older. It's a privilege that is denied too so many."

In The End from Alan Bean

Alan Bean was the fourth Astronaut to walk on the Moon.  See the link from Wikipedia for more about his life.

The following quote below was attributed to him, which is a great message to consider for so many people who are trying to accomplish accolades, riches and lusts of all kinds that do not involve the ultimate Godly purposes of a relationship with God and others in loving friendship.    

Matthew 22:36-40 36 Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law? 37 And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  38 "This is the great and foremost commandment.' 39 The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.
John 13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

Alan's quote that gives us all a great reference point in life.  Thankfully, it is not all there is.

In the end, what I have left from my walk on the Ocean of Storms are memories, almost like it was a trip to the seashore or a drive in the country.  They mix together in a constant stream of thoughts and images that come and go like all memories do.

The most precious things I brought back with me are the same things I left with - my two best friends.  And I realize that when you go through any endeavor, any journey - whether across town or to the Moon and back - all that matters is that you share the experience with people you love.  That's what makes life special because, ultimately, that's all there is.  That's really all there is.

Allan Bean - March 15, 1932 - May 26, 2018

The great joy we all need to keep foremost is the absolute comforting thought that we will be with God and all the people we love in life when all of us accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Extra: A book reference

Read the book "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper.  The movie is not a good Christian movie as Hollywood tried to make it a "feel-good" type of movie which just happened to have some information on Christianity.

A Prayer

The following prayer has been said by this author many times and it has given me comfort knowing God answers all prayers that are asked in His Son Jesus Christ's name. 

We don't always understand God's answer and the fulfillment of prayers, but I absolutely know this prayer will be accomplished as it asking God to reward those who I have hurt and to change me.  All aspects of the prayer request will give God the Glory.  Those that I have done wrong will be rewarded in this life and absolutely in the next, which means they are better off for any suffering caused by me.

As analogy, imagine being hired to work for one hour for a fixed wage where the payment for the job turned out not to be fair compensation, but unexpectedly you are given three times the payment after completion.  After receiving the payment, that is three times more than initially agreed upon, you would feel very grateful and glad to have done the job.  You are then better off for doing the job rather than accepting another job which would not have paid as much.

"Dear Father, I come before you in the name of your Son Jesus Christ.  I pray that before I die or Raptured, that you work out all of my mistakes, selfishness and sins against others and myself as benefit, so that I have no embarrassment and regrets before You where everything gives You Glory on how my mistakes, sins and selfishness blessed my victims and myself."  

and

"Dear Father, I ask that my children, my siblings, my relatives, my friends and other people that have been victims of sins by others (which I could not protect them) that from this point going forward, I will be a witness to extend knowledge of You so that they will look to you for help, be able to help themselves now, and for them to understand that all suffering at the hands of others against the Christian will be rewarded by you."

Romans 8:28  "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

What to read next?

What do we do when we are afraid, have despair, weary of life?  What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?