The Grace of Aging
by Cynthia Jennings on February 26, 2020Has there ever been a time when you walked past a mirror and did a double take? Has there ever been a time when you got on the scale and just shook your head? Has there ever been a time when you had the perfect outfit picked out in your head, put it on and it does not fit!?
Yes, I have looked in the mirror notice my face has wrinkles, my hair is thinning and weight that clings like saran wrap and judge these as undesirable. But then I ask myself who and what am I comparing myself to? And why am I comparing?
All of us at some point will have the “has there ever been a time when” moment. Those moments use to freak me out to the point I was stressed out! But one day in that moment I was convicted. No matter how much I was stressing out about aging, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Because aging is part of God’s perfect design. So, I threw out my preconceived notions about the negative aspects of aging as well as no longer wrecking my brain with trying to research “age defying” products and adopted a new perspective. Once I changed my perspective the stress left.
As my relationship with my own body deepened, I learned to enjoy the different experiences that come along with aging, stopped reminiscence about being younger, and truly enjoy my current age. I feel much calmer and confident within myself now. I worry less about what the fashion is {while still being cute..lol} and more about feeling comfortable and happy with what I am doing and who I am in God’s image. I also loooove seeing how other women find their way of expressing themselves during this season.
Although I have learned to enjoy aging and appreciate the grace extended. I must be honest. A normal aging body seems to have become the aberration, and the perfected, sculpted and forever youthful appearance has become the norm — or at least the sought-after norm. Please don’t mistake my honesty for saying women should let themselves go. What I’m saying is society oftentimes portrays flawless images of women who reveal their “tricks for staying young” thus sometimes causing us subliminally to not like what we see. Every woman age differently! What works for one may not work for you!!! So be careful not to allow what you think is another woman’s flawlessness to overshadow and down play your flawlessness. Because we are all flawed yet flawless in God the Creators eyes.
Learning to fully understand and embrace that attitude is everything in aging gracefully affords us the chance to be who God created us to be in that season of life. Aging gives us a chance to fulfill long awaited goals and dreams, focus on what is in front of us and not what is in the rear-view mirror. We don’t have to become marginalized or reduced to sitting down. It’s a perfect time to become role models showing younger women what it’s like to age gracefully without the pressure of having to be flawless.
Embrace the wisdom as an older woman. Let’s celebrate older women and encourage younger women, for what they have weathered in life. I want to see older women, free to show up as themselves with wrinkles, fat or not, graying hair or not, and everything else that comes.
The more focused you become on enriching the lives of others, the more sense of purpose you’ll have. The more you begin to explore new interests, the more engaged with life you’ll become. The more you begin to tackle long-postponed projects, the more empowered you’ll feel. All these things put into practice will result in a heightened enthusiasm for life. The more energized and optimistic you feel, the more you’ll be moved to express your gratitude to God. Thank Him for this wonderful life you’ve been given. An attitude of gratitude, more than anything else, will help determine whether you grow old gracefully — or just grow old.
PEARLStoPONDER: Be thankful for God’s grace in aging. Embrace your flaws as if they are flawless!
Job 12:12--Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.
Proverbs 16:31--Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
2 Corinthians 4:16--So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Titus 2:3-5-- Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Yes, I have looked in the mirror notice my face has wrinkles, my hair is thinning and weight that clings like saran wrap and judge these as undesirable. But then I ask myself who and what am I comparing myself to? And why am I comparing?
All of us at some point will have the “has there ever been a time when” moment. Those moments use to freak me out to the point I was stressed out! But one day in that moment I was convicted. No matter how much I was stressing out about aging, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Because aging is part of God’s perfect design. So, I threw out my preconceived notions about the negative aspects of aging as well as no longer wrecking my brain with trying to research “age defying” products and adopted a new perspective. Once I changed my perspective the stress left.
As my relationship with my own body deepened, I learned to enjoy the different experiences that come along with aging, stopped reminiscence about being younger, and truly enjoy my current age. I feel much calmer and confident within myself now. I worry less about what the fashion is {while still being cute..lol} and more about feeling comfortable and happy with what I am doing and who I am in God’s image. I also loooove seeing how other women find their way of expressing themselves during this season.
Although I have learned to enjoy aging and appreciate the grace extended. I must be honest. A normal aging body seems to have become the aberration, and the perfected, sculpted and forever youthful appearance has become the norm — or at least the sought-after norm. Please don’t mistake my honesty for saying women should let themselves go. What I’m saying is society oftentimes portrays flawless images of women who reveal their “tricks for staying young” thus sometimes causing us subliminally to not like what we see. Every woman age differently! What works for one may not work for you!!! So be careful not to allow what you think is another woman’s flawlessness to overshadow and down play your flawlessness. Because we are all flawed yet flawless in God the Creators eyes.
Learning to fully understand and embrace that attitude is everything in aging gracefully affords us the chance to be who God created us to be in that season of life. Aging gives us a chance to fulfill long awaited goals and dreams, focus on what is in front of us and not what is in the rear-view mirror. We don’t have to become marginalized or reduced to sitting down. It’s a perfect time to become role models showing younger women what it’s like to age gracefully without the pressure of having to be flawless.
Embrace the wisdom as an older woman. Let’s celebrate older women and encourage younger women, for what they have weathered in life. I want to see older women, free to show up as themselves with wrinkles, fat or not, graying hair or not, and everything else that comes.
The more focused you become on enriching the lives of others, the more sense of purpose you’ll have. The more you begin to explore new interests, the more engaged with life you’ll become. The more you begin to tackle long-postponed projects, the more empowered you’ll feel. All these things put into practice will result in a heightened enthusiasm for life. The more energized and optimistic you feel, the more you’ll be moved to express your gratitude to God. Thank Him for this wonderful life you’ve been given. An attitude of gratitude, more than anything else, will help determine whether you grow old gracefully — or just grow old.
PEARLStoPONDER: Be thankful for God’s grace in aging. Embrace your flaws as if they are flawless!
Job 12:12--Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.
Proverbs 16:31--Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
2 Corinthians 4:16--So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Titus 2:3-5-- Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
