Faithbase

Alright friends, as I was working out, I had a couple more ideas that I wanted to share with you about embracing this natural process and gift of aging that allows us to cultivate some wisdom and maturity in several ways. Number one, and I mentioned it in the first video, life experience, right? As we age, we accumulate a wealth of life experiences. And those experiences provide us with valuable lessons and insights that shape our perspective and shape our understanding of the world and our place within it. And by embracing this process and this gift of just aging and growing older, we acknowledge and appreciate the significance of these experiences. We allow those things to help us to grow wiser and make us better informed so that we can make better informed decisions. I think that's a gift that comes from God that happens with wisdom and aging. Number two, self-reflection, right? Growing older provides us an opportunity for self-reflection and a little introspection, right? And as we mature, we have a chance to evaluate our past choices, our actions, our beliefs, and self-reflection allows us to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our values, our purpose inside of this world, our purpose inside of the kingdom. And it enables us to let go of what no longer serves us, right? To put that aside and to clothe ourselves the way God calls us to in what really matters so that we can continue to grow spiritually. Third thing is patience and resilience. I don't know about you, but aging has brought about some physical changes and challenges. I embrace it, but it requires patience and resilience. Adapting to actions and new choices requires patience and resilience. We've got to learn to navigate those ups and downs that happen in life with grace and perseverance. I certainly didn't do that effectively as a younger man, but I'm getting better as an older man because I'm becoming equipped with wisdom to handle challenges with strength and courage and faith the way God has called us to. And then number four, perspective and empathy. I think with age comes a broader understanding of just having a perspective in life. We gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of life and the struggles that are faced by other people, including ourselves, right? And that broader perspective fosters this spiritual gift of empathy and compassion. And we recognize shared humanity in everyone that we encounter. And cultivating empathy and understanding, I believe, not only contributes to the spiritual growth of others, right? But also our personal growth, because the more we cultivate that, the greater impact we have on the lives of others. And so again, embrace this gift, this natural process of aging, and open yourself up to the valuable opportunities for growth physically, emotionally, spiritually. It's a process of learning. It's a process of self-discovery. It is an unfolding of the gifts of God, of wisdom and peace and patience and maturity that allow us and allow us to help others navigate life with grace and purpose and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us in which we live. Remember, God has called us to live out in great purpose inside of the kingdom. He has instilled in us a great purpose inside of the kingdom. And whether we are on the young side of time or we're on the older side of time, God's purpose remains. Look through scripture. It did not matter what age people were or what walk of life they came from. God used them and had a purpose for them that expanded the kingdom and moved forward His will and love. And I want to encourage you today, that's still true. So again, as you look in the mirror today, recognize you are a gift from God. Recognize you have purpose and value.