Amaging(TM) Growing Old On Purpose

A strong prayer life can help support a growth mindset during this part of life’s journey. As you reflect on your challenges relating to growing older, consider how you might pray for the grace to surrender them to God.

Here’s an example of a prayer I wrote to help me have a better frame of mind while growing older:

Dear God. I do not know what the future holds. As I picture an older version of myself, with more struggles, pain, and difficult experiences, I am sometimes anxious about this. I pray that I will avoid focusing on negative thoughts like self-pity, frustration, or anger. Rather, I pray that I will grow closer to you, and I will put daily challenges in Your hands. I pray my relationship with You will become stronger and more intimate each day as I grow older—until I take my final breath, and my life is truly in Your hands.

As you think about becoming more physically vulnerable and the challenges ahead, what makes you most anxious? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Prayer helps offset, “Thinking with the Enemy,” as discussed in chapter 7.