Staying Free After Breaking FreeSample

Aging Gracefully

As I peered into the free-standing mirror to apply makeup one morning, I noticed new wrinkles and age spots had appeared, a reminder that I'm not as young as I used to be. A few minutes later while drying my hair, I couldn't help but notice the jiggly skin on the underside of my arm each time I lifted the blow dryer to reach the back of my hair.

I recognized what the enemy was doing. I wasn’t about to let him yank me back into a self-loathing mindset after I had come so far. I immediately began rehearsing the biblical truths God had spoken over me, truths that remind me of who I am in Him:

• The King is enthralled by my beauty.
• I am God’s beloved daughter.
• I am chosen, anointed, set-apart, and wonderfully made.
• Outwardly, I may be wasting away, but inwardly, I am being renewed day by day.

I used to think aging gracefully meant a person had somehow escaped the usual signs of aging. Skin remained plump. Hair didn't gray. Body parts defied gravity. However, God gave me a wonderful new revelation. Sweet Sisters, aging gracefully means we give ourselves grace as we age. It is not about being graceful, but being grace-filled.

Spoiler alert: we are not in Eden anymore. The longer we are here on this earth, the more we will succumb to the effects of gravity, UV rays, and dying cells. Why not embrace the aging process and consider ourselves lucky to be breathing, serving, loving, and praising our Creator?

Thankfully, we get to choose our thoughts. We get to choose our beliefs. We get to choose how we are going to view ourselves.

So, the next time the enemy starts spewing lies through warped reflections in the mirror, tell him to go back to the pit of hell where he belongs. Never forget that you, like me, have earned every one of those wrinkles, sags, and age spots through a life well-lived. And a life well-lived is a life worth living.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

What are some of the effects of aging you see on or in your body? Take a few minutes to think about the life experiences which have brought about those visible signs of aging, and thank God for allowing you enough time on earth to grow older.

PRAYER

Father, help me to remember that no one escapes the aging process. If I am lucky enough to have many trips around the sun, there will be visible signs of my journey. Remind me that it’s not about being graceful. It’s about being grace-filled. Amen.