He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. – Colossians 1:28
My mom used to say, “Getting older isn’t for sissies.” I used to laugh when people said that. I don’t anymore.
I’ve been active most of my life, but lately pain in my right leg after exercise sent me looking for medical advice beyond the internet and the locker room. After reviewing the X-rays, the doctor gave me the diagnosis: OA.
My wife Sharon’s twin sister, Karon, asked, “What’s OA? Old Age?”
OsteoArthritis may be the latest thing, but it’s not the only thing — and it certainly won’t be the last. The truth is, our physical (and eventually mental) health is on an irreversible downhill trajectory. Each morning, Sharon and I thank God for our health — what’s left of it. It’s precious to us, and we’re grateful.
We’re especially thankful that we are not our bodies.
Scripture calls them “jars of clay.” Temporary. Fragile. Useful — but not eternal.
Peter and Paul both remind us that we are spiritual beings living in temporary tents. Even as our bodies decay and occasionally betray us, something else is happening. We are being transformed — steadily, quietly — into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5; 2 Peter 1:13).
James goes even further. He tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance — and perseverance is essential for maturity (James 1:2–4).
In other words, even as our bodies decline, the eternal us can be getting better and better.
Jesus once told His disciples that anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (Luke 18:16–17). Strangely enough, as we mature in Christ, our faith becomes more childlike, not less:
- A child has not lost their sense of wonder
- A child’s life is founded on trust
- A child’s instinct is obedience
- A child forgives quickly
- A child loves deeply — and receives love freely
This is not regression. It’s redemption.
Don’t be fooled by modern promises of reversing aging through prescriptions, procedures, or potions. That’s a fool’s errand. Our calling is to invest in the part of us that will outlive our bodies’ usefulness.
A mature, childlike faith is the one true way to reverse aging.
Run the Play. Invest in the eternal you.
Finding Our Place in the Story
- Where am I grieving losses connected to aging — and how honestly am I bringing that grief to God?
- In what ways might God be using physical limitations to deepen my trust, wonder, or obedience?
- As a community, how can we honor aging not as decline alone, but as spiritual formation in progress?
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