Into Refirement
Having reached my 60’s, people often ask me what I am planning to do for my retirement. Honestly, I never thought I’d reach this point in my life, but here I am. What is retirement? Is it stepping down, slowing down, retooling, disappearing, doing what you always wanted to do, but couldn’t, just hanging loose, doing nothing, or what? Retirement usually comes at the end of a 40+ year routine of getting up early, going off to work, coming home exhausted and weekends packed with activities that don’t fit into the hours left over during the week. With so much to do and so little time to get everything done, even the youth at times faint and long for the day of less demands.
Now, in retirement all that changes. There are no need for alarm clocks, no schedules to follow, no expectations or demands by superiors, and time just to kick back and rest. It seems to be, by most, the gold at the end of the rainbow. It is so desired that some even try to take an early retirement, even if it means receiving less of a pension each month. My observation is that many, upon arriving at their life goal of retirement, rapidly grow old. It is like they lose their drive, their motivation and purpose. It is as if everything shuts down. Conversations center on the good ol’ days, weather, food and their many aches and pains. If this is what I have to look forward to, I want no part of it.
I believe, God’s view is different. In Joel, chapter 2, verse 28, we see that old men will dream dreams. A dream is not a looking back, but a looking forward. When Martin Luther King preached his famous sermon, “I Have a Dream”, it was his vision for the future, not his regrets of the past. Caleb was 85 years old when he said to Joshua, “Give me this mountain.” He had no mind to retire, but to conquer his dreams. Moses was 80 years old when God sent him to set the people of Israel free from slavery in Egypt. Moses may have thought he was retired, but at the burning bush he became refired.
Old age presents some physical challenges, for sure, but also some great new opportunities. To finish well the race of life, one must minimize his regrets, wait on the Lord to renew one’s strength and use the past as a springboard, not a hammock. It is said that life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once. Life is not over, until it is over. If you have found that your dreams have disappeared and exhaustion is stealing your enthusiasm, get back in the fire. God’s will is for refirement, not retirement. He desires the renewing of your youth.
With God as your strength, you can take your mountain. If you are at the end of your strength, it is time for God to take over. Cast your burdens on the Lord and you will mount up with wings as eagles for His yoke is easy, His burden is light.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Prov. 11:25; Is. 40:31; Joel 2:28; Joshua 14:10-12; Phil. 3:13