“Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”
Let’s talk about what no one warns you about in Sunday School: your body after 55. One day you’re trying to stay fit (even though you’d rather be sitting down with a good book and a glass of wine), and the next your body is protesting with mysterious aches and pains like it just ran a marathon in its sleep. What do you do when you need grace for when your body starts getting opinionated?
First, there’s the issue of clothing. I promise I didn’t gain weight—my pants just stopped cooperating. I tried to zip up a pair of jeans from last season and had to lie down, pray, and do a little shimmy I’m pretty sure counts as cardio. My closet is now a graveyard of “maybe next month” outfits that haven’t seen the light of day since 2018.
And then, the surprises. Some mornings I wake up feeling like I’ve aged five years overnight. My ankles are stiff, my back says “no thanks,” and my shoulder makes a weird twinge if I turn too fast. Nothing dramatic—just enough to remind me that this tent we’re living in is temporary, and occasionally drafty.
But here’s the truth: these changes don’t mean we’re broken. They mean we’re human. Aging is not a failure—it’s a progression. We’re still being shaped, renewed, and refined. Scripture tells us that while our outer selves are wasting away, our inner selves are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). Some days the outside feels more like “wasting dramatically,” but you get the idea.
The world wants us to fear getting older. But in God’s Kingdom, growing older is a gift. Gray hair is a crown of glory (Proverbs 16:31), and every wrinkle has a story. Who decided smooth skin meant more value anyway? I’ll take laugh lines and a quiet confidence over insecurity and eyeliner perfection any day.
Now, about clothes again—because let’s be honest, the relationship is complicated. Anything without stretch is considered a threat. My wardrobe has shifted from “structured and stylish” to “soft and forgiving.” I now wear leggings to nearly everything. Add a nice tunic and some earrings, and suddenly you’re elevated casual, my friend.
But here’s the deeper shift: with every physical change comes an invitation. We can either resist it and chase something we were never meant to keep, or we can embrace the new rhythms. Slowing down doesn’t mean giving up. It means living with intention. We’re not behind—we’re just choosing a better pace.
Scripture doesn’t ignore aging; it honors it. Proverbs 16:31 calls gray hair a crown of splendor. Isaiah 46:4 offers this comfort: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.”
God never asked for tight abs or youthful skin. He’s after willing hearts. He walks with us through every phase, including the ones where everything feels a bit more creaky and a lot more sacred.
Yes, your body may complain more loudly than it used to. Yes, some days will feel frustrating. But every laugh line holds a memory, and every stretch mark speaks of growth.
God is not done with you. He’s just getting to the really rich parts. So let’s age with holy confidence, anchored in grace, fueled by faith, and wrapped in the kind of humor that makes this journey not just bearable—but beautiful.
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