Don’t Look Back:
A Biblical Theology of Aging
by Dawn Davidson
We left Eastern Europe on a Friday, just before Russia invaded Ukraine. It’s odd not to be there living my usual life—walking our dog, meeting up with my friends at Paragraph Coffee, and planning women’s events. Once again, I entered another phase of life, encouraging and investing in people from afar.
I received a text from one of these friends recently, inviting me to take part in a ladies’ retreat, attending virtually and sharing my thoughts on the topic of aging. My first thought was that having a biblical view of aging is worth pondering in any season, young or old, displaced or not. This is the theology of aging I shared with them: As we reflect on getting older, if we seek first the things of God, he will provide perspective.
The Bigger Picture
Taking time to ponder Jesus’ viewpoint in Matthew 6:25-34 is a good first step in shaping our thoughts on aging. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus knows that we worry about how we look, how to provide for ourselves, and how we struggle in vain to add another hour to our lives. We can trust him because he sees the bigger perspective, no matter what culture we claim.
We strive to be as healthy as we can, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, for as long as possible. Jesus grew in these same areas (see Luke 2:52). We can aim for well-rounded health, but it won’t happen without a strategy in each area.
- Be Intentional. If our identity is right before God, we can be confident and secure in our appearance as we age—even if we don’t want to look older! I choose not to spend much time on clothing, trends, hairstyles, and make-up, but I do want to be self-assured and be my best. This means being intentional about choosing styles that make me feel good. By preparing ahead of time, we can keep things simple and avoid frustration when dressing for any occasion. For example, my daughter knows what colors she likes best so she doesn’t consider options that are not in her color pallet. It’s helpful to think ahead and know how to coordinate your wardrobe before it’s time to put it together, as Anne Ortland describes so well in Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman.
We can aim for well-rounded health, but it won’t happen without a strategy.
2. Develop good habits.
We can be good stewards of our bodies and our attitudes. My mother says to prepare in our younger years by developing good habits so that our bodies can function longer. This means exercising, eating well, and investing in good shoes so our feet will not hurt! Being good stewards of our bodies is all about daily choices that add up. My mentor and friend, Judy, is in her 70s, and she is determined to ride her elliptical one hour every day. Another friend, Lori, uses Duolingo to study Russian. Alyona regularly walks in the woods and listens to podcasts for motivation and worship. Inspiration feeds our souls. The challenge is to create a rhythm that enables us to live out our intentions.
3. Focus on what lies ahead.
Good choices make us feel better in the moment and position us well for the days ahead. This goes for influence as well, by being positive and focused on the future instead of the past. Proverbs 4:25 says, “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.” We use the past as a reference point to see how far we’ve come, but we don’t stay there. Sometimes I remind myself, Don’t look back—you’re not going that way.
Being good stewards of our bodies is all about daily choices that add up.
My friends in Eastern Europe appreciated me sharing a different perspective because their culture is more focused on appearance, just as western culture is aligned with comfort. It’s true that when we’re caught up in our youthfulness and appearance rather than seeking God’s purposes for us, we miss the excitement of knowing God fully and the fun of being completely abandoned to Him. And he gives us the choice to prepare ourselves for each day of our future.
Dawn Davidson lives in Eastern Europe and loves to find inspiration for creative ventures. @davidsonwords
Scripture quotations are from the New International Version of the Bible.