Spiritual Questions of Aging
“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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Life is spiritual, even when we aren’t aware, especially in our later years.
At a time in life when other aspects of life are failing, or at least becoming more limited, we have the capacity to grow in our spiritual maturity.
Actually, the increased frailty of our bodies and minds can prompt deeper spiritual questions.
One of the most basic questions is, what is the image and nature of God for you? Who is God to you? Is God harsh and judgmental of our every thought and action? Or, is God loving and compassionate, caring for our every need? What is God like for you? The first question leads to the second.
How do you relate to God in your life? Do you have a regular practice that centers your spirit on the presence of God in your life? Is prayer or reading the Bible a daily part of your life? Do you take a walk in nature, or take the time to watch the sun rise or set, or enjoy beautiful works of art or music as a way to experience God? How do you encounter the spiritual presence of God in a way that opens your life to be changed?
What gives your life purpose and meaning? This is a very important question later in life when we no longer are doing what once occupied our days. How do you find a purpose, a reason to get out of bed in the morning? Where do you make meaning of your life? Purpose is often a question of doing, while finding meaning is often a question of being. Looking back on the life you have lived so far, how do you find God in your life story?
What helps you to have resilience, to rise above suffering and hardship? How do you deal with the limitations and losses that come with aging? What inner resources help you to rise above these challenges you face? How can you nurture these inner resources to prepare for further limitations and losses?
In what ways do you participate in community with others? We all need other people in our lives. Do you make efforts to build and maintain relationships with others? Do you ever feel lonely or isolated? How much contact do you have with other people? Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Who is community for you?
Does your faith give you hope and peace for the completion of your life? How do you feel about the ending of your life? Are you scared or anxious? Are you at peace? When you have grieved a loss, how did you find spiritual and emotional support? Do you have things still to be said and done before you can die in peace?
These are six central spiritual questions of aging, though there are certainly more questions to ponder. Our later years are a time for opening our lives to the presence of God by pondering these challenging questions.
What do you have to ask of God today? What is God saying to you in the silence of your peace-filled heart?