Aging Spiritually: From Resentment to Gratitude
2 Corinthians 4:6-12, 16
“So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.”
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I have known some extraordinary people in my years of ministry. I distinctly remember a remarkable woman named Anne Marie. She had experienced great challenges in her lifetime but had a contagious enthusiasm for living. Early in her marriage she and her husband had fled the Nazis in the middle of the night, arriving in the United States as refugees with nothing but a suitcase. Her resilience in that crisis shaped the rest of her life.
She had a strong faith and a hopeful, energetic spirit. Late in life she earned a degree in Gerontology, the study of aging. She wrote two small books to help people understand how listen effectively to older adults. Her 100th birthday party was filled with friends and family who celebrated her extraordinary life.
Anne Marie had spiritual resilience. Rather than resentfully withdrawing from life when she encountered difficulties, she jumped in with determination and gratitude. She had faced more than her share of challenges. She could have responded with resentment but chose to respond with gratitude.
I have known others who, though their health was fragile, their faith remained strong to the end. They faced rehab therapy with a positive spirit. Or, they endured chronic illness without lapsing into constant complaining. Some faithfully cared for a frail spouse with love and commitment. No matter what comes along in life, some people deal face it with faith and courage, coming out stronger on the other side.
How do we have that kind of spiritual resilience in the inevitable losses and limitations of aging? How do we move from resentment to gratitude?
In the Christian Scriptures Paul is an example of someone who responded to his circumstances with spiritual resilience. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, he said the treasure of the gospel is entrusted to fragile humans, who he compared to “clay jars.”
He states clearly our source of resilience is the “extraordinary power (which) belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:7-9).
A few verses later Paul explained how we develop and maintain this kind of resilience, “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day”(2 Cor 4:16).
Daily spiritual practice opens our hearts to the extraordinary power of God to renew our spirits, building resilience. Though your fragile physical self may be wasting away, your inner spiritual nature can be renewed every day.
Spiritual practices can strengthen our spirits and develop spiritual resilience. Your practice may be silent prayer and contemplation, listening to God’s Spirit. Or, you may meditate on the Bible, letting God speak to your heart through its words. You may repeat a breath prayer throughout the day. Or, you may spend time in nature, seeing the presence of God in the beauty that surrounds us. Whatever your practice, make it a daily time to open your heart to God. Your spiritual resilience will be renewed day by day.
Practice
Our practice this week is spiritual journaling, writing inner reflections of God’s work in your life. Write about how you have been spiritually resilient throughout your life. Think of a time in your life when you faced a difficult challenge. How did you get through it? Were you able to maintain a positive attitude? Were you resentful, did you have gratitude, or perhaps a mixture of feelings?
As you lived through this difficult time in your life, did you have a regular daily spiritual practice? Did this spiritual practice help you to get through your challenge? In what ways did you grow closer in your relationship with God?
Greg Smith
Legacy Ministry for Older Adults