“Senior Saints”

Prayer: Our Father, lift us up from wherever we may be. When we are down, we need the everlasting arms to bring us up. When we are up, we need the everlasting arms to stay there. We know that with you all things are possible. So, this winter, in the northern hemisphere of your earth, show us how to live richly, in the name of your Son, Amen

As you approach retirement age, do you often wonder what a Christian should do during the retirement years. Do Christians retire from Christian service when they retire from the workplace? How should a Christian view retirement? 

In the winter, after I retired, I placed a kitchen chair beside a window, and stared at the brown, and sometimes white, winter world of the beautifulness of Colorado. The activity in my life all seemed to take a big crash. Mostly I was in a trance trying to acknowledge what God’s specific life plan for me was.As I read, and worked out at the gym, I seemed not to be very interested in TV unless it was about sports. And I wondered if I also suffered from being a senior saint, a condition believed to be caused mainly from the lack of a knowledgeable straight shot to a visible goal,triggered by physical life circumstances. It’sa feeling of uselessness and even losing interest in things and people that I/ we once enjoyed. This left me with the question, Who is coaching the coach now that he is retired? 

Although there is no biblical principle that a person should retire from his work when he reaches a certain age, there is the example of the Levites and their work in the tabernacle. In Numbers 4, the Levite males are numbered for service in the tabernacle from ages 25-50 years old, and after age 50, they were to retire from regular service. They could continue to “assist their brothers” but could not continue to work (Numbers 8:24-26).

But for less serious cases of the winter senior blues, there is much we can do to accept responsibility for improving our mood. God has given this time to us, and will help us to do well in it. He is always present with us, waiting to lift us up. It is OUR responsibility to take the first steps. Perhaps I am writing on this subject because I too have experienced down moods in the winter that do not seem to occur at other times. As a child of God who has been given the winter, I refuse to waste it in a pit. I awoke this morning thinking The Bible tells us to be filled with joy and praise (Philippians 4:4; Romans 15:11), so God apparently intends for us all to live joyful lives. In the meantime, let's get busy and never retire from serving the Lord, although the way we serve Him may change. 

Second Corinthians 12:14 states that the parent ought to save up for the children. But by far the greatest thing to “save up” is one's spiritual heritage, which can be passed on to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Generations of descendants have been impacted by the faithful prayers of an elderly family “patriarch” or “matriarch.” Prayer is perhaps the most fruitful ministry outlet for those who have retired.

1. Accept your feelings as a human condition, not a spiritual failing. Christians often feel that if they have found new life in Christ, all down, depressed, or negative feelings will forever disappear, and any sign of them show a lack of faith. This is not so. At various times in his life, Jesus seemed to show an attitude that was less than joyous. He grieved. He wept for Jerusalem, and on the cross, he expressed dismay that God had forsaken him.

2. Develop a healthy routine. It can be comforting and reassuring to develop and adhere to a basic routine. Get up and get dressed at the same time each morning, and go to bed at the same time each evening. Plan your meals ahead. If you are alone, determine to plan meals that require some preparation. You deserve them, and planning them will be fun.

3. Work on gratitude. Often gratitude is not a spontaneous feeling. It takes some effort. Please think and pray about, Why Gratitude is important? I must daily remind myself about the many things for which I am grateful. Try this each morning just after breakfast, and see if it helps. It is difficult to be grateful and depressed at the same time. 

4. Reach out to others. Find a couple friends to call every day. These don't need to be long calls. Just see how you are each doing today, and what the plans are for the day. If you can get out, become acquainted with your local senior center, your library. volunteer for an activity at the church. There is always something to do there. Check your local paper for things to do, and people to meet.

5. Develop an interest. We discuss, at this writing. 52 possible hobbies on our Tips page. And there must be hundreds more. Investigate and select one. If you don't like it, then try another. Go to our "Just For Fun" page and work some puzzles, or read some humor. 

I have heard the expression that "MOOD FOLLOWS ACTION". And I believe it too. Often, we cease all action because we have developed a depressed mood. Be bold. Turn it around. You may not be responsible for the mood you are in, but you ARE responsible for taking the first steps to change it.

The Christian never retires from Christ’s service; he only changes the address of his workplace. To sum it up, as one reaches “retirement age” (whatever that is) the vocation may change but one’s life work of serving the Lord does not change. Often it is these “senior saints” who, after a lifetime of walking with God, are able to convey the truths of God's Word by relating how God has worked in their lives. The psalmist's prayer should be our prayer as we age: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come” (Psalm 71:18).

God Bless You and This Ministry!