3:56 – Midlife Crisis

#faithbites #faithjourney Crisis

When I was a kid, I used to hear about men going through a Midlife crisis. It was usually demonstrated by getting a sports car, cheating on their spouse, spending a lot of money, or something else like that. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen two things. One, this doesn’t affect just men and two, these crisses don’t have to look as dramatic as they did as a kid.

Many of us are experience these changes in life and just don’t talk about it. New aches and pains, loneliness, a feeling of being adrift, a wondering when I will feel like “me” or being present again. These are all signs. While there is no simple solution, being present in prayer and talking to others in the same boat can help.

Scripture

• The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair. – Proverbs 20:29
• Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. – Philipians 4:11-12

Reflection

Our scripture helps us in two main areas. First, each stage of our life is great. When we are doing we have energy and curiosity. When we are older we have experience and wisdom. Once isn’t better than the other, just a product of where we are at. We have to recognize what is most important and enjoy that at this time.

The second, is to learn how to appreciate where we are at. It’s easy to think of what we’ve lost: Energy, options, and a future. But now we have: stability, family, a past, and a future. We can do some things to help us in our physical wellness and our emotional wellness. The key is not to focus on what we used to have, but I’m what we do have and what we will have in the next life.

Sure, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be 21 again with my whole life ahead of me. Then I realize, I wouldn’t have my family and my experiences to make me who I am now. I can use what I did in the past to help me define who I want to be tomorrow. Sure, I won’t be an astronaut but I can chose to be happy, healthier, and wiser.

Challenge

What do you miss about your youth? Are you pinning for it? Right those things down and compare them, honestly, with where you are today. Then we what you can do to be happy with where you are now. God will guide you.

Prayer

Lord, we know that there is a time and place for everything. We often pine for what we no longer has and what we can’t have now. Help us to be happy where we are and make positive choices moving forward. Only you know where we are going. Enlighten us and strengthen is to know that you have always got our back. In your name, Amen.