To become old, all we must do is – nothing. It’s easy! It’s also easy to become a grumbler – we just have to constantly complain and grumble.

God placed us here on earth to learn. Learning requires effort – sometimes lots of effort!

As my body slows down with age, I am learning new things, things that God built into the aging process. Once I took physical strength for granted. If I needed to run, I ran. Increasingly, I now need to look to God’s Word for help. He says: They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).

Therefore, I now must do more waiting upon the Lord! Age is requiring me to look to Him so I will not slide into being too tired to do what needs to be done. I could easily feel old – that comes naturally. But I can also feel strong if I claim the strength that God has offered to us. Now, in a new way, I’m able to experience what it is really like to receive strength from a source outside of myself.

As growing older brings new opportunities to learn, problems also bring new opportunities to learn. We would never understand what it’s like to be too poor to buy food until we experienced it; never understand suffering until we bend under its heavy load; never understand loneliness until a loved one dies or deserts us.

Every new event provides a new opportunity to gain experience. We have the option of doing nothing and simply choose to be miserable, unhappy, or old in spirit. Age, burdens, and problems are forces in life that can drive us downward unless we learn to receive the special help that God wants to give His children. Remember, God’s help usually doesn’t come to us on its own. We must do something.

All types of things work to make us feel old, tired, lonely, unloved, or unsuccessful. These forces are relentless. They show no mercy if we feel sorry for ourselves. But they must bow to the Word of God! He promises to take everything and make it work for our good. We can let that promise slide away from us until the promise is useless to us. But if we determine that God is telling us the truth, stand on His promise, refuse to accept anything less, God honors His Word to us.

Age is helping me to claim His Word. I’m becoming more persistent in praising God for everything and I’m increasingly aware of how He keeps His promises.

If you are burdened by something, turn now to Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 5:20. Stand on these promises and you will feel new life flowing into you – His life. Our bodies may look and feel older, but if we permit His Spirit to work in us, we can still: mount up with wings as eagles.

(Reprint from November 1995)