When we say a person is aging gracefully, we tend to mean they have kept their weight reasonable, they have nice skin and beautiful hair and generally don’t look their age.

We may have control over the weight but not the skin and the hair. We have no control over whether we look our age, or older or younger.

I think the greatest thing we can do to prepare for aging is to focus on what is on the inside rather than what is on the outside. When all is said and done it is more important that we are kind, gentle, encouraging, positive, joyful, at peace and good-hearted than it is that we look good.

I believe the Fruits of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22-23 would be a wonderful character to evidence in our later years – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” I am not suggesting we don’t need to evidence them in our younger years; in fact, it is only as we practice them and grow in them as we age that we will evidence them consistently in our later years.

As we age, there are plenty of things to complain about and many older men and women do just that. May we not be among them!
It is such a refreshing thing to spend time in the presence of an older saint that is aging gracefully who models love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Unfortunately it is a rarity – and this should not be so among the saints.

We never get to stop dying to self and living out Jesus until we are called home to glory. Let’s not try to take any shortcuts.

Will you join me in making it your goal to age gracefully?

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all. She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.