Let’s face it—life is hard. The older I get, the more I realize this. These days, it seems that no particular age group has the lionshare of problems. Instead, it seems to be spread across the seasons of life. It is interesting, though, how hindsight really does give us perspective. As we distance ourselves from our 20s and 30s, when we were in the thick of diapers, sleepless nights, and temper tantrums, we might look back wistfully thinking, It was only for a season. I should’ve soaked up those minutes, hours, days.
Or you may think, I’d gladly take the toddler days over these teenage years! Lol. I agree! I think I’d rather have the physical tiredness of sleepless nights due to a waking baby compared to the mental tiredness of navigating hormones and changing moods.
Then the empty nest comes and our walls echo with the sounds of toddlers giggling and laughing and the memories of sweet late-night conversations with our teenage sons or daughters invoking a longing in our hearts for days gone by.
Something I noticed as I reflected on these seasons of life is that oftentimes we are discontent in the moment, but when we move on to the subsequent season, we remember the “difficult” time of life fondly. Until the following season when we become discontent and are in a hurry to move on to the next and then “rinse and repeat.”
But what if we turned to God in every stage of life, especially in those difficult seasons, and seized them as an opportunity to draw near to God? What if we tried to grow in our relationship with Him rather than just trying to survive on our own and wishing that part of our lives away?
I believe humankind is prone to discontentment, anxiety, fear, and complaining because we are not focusing on the only One who can bring us true contentment, peace, comfort, and joy.
Let’s take a look at how the Lord uses trials to draw us close:
"Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for they shall see the Kingdom of God." Luke 6:20
I have always struggled with anxiety, ever since I was a young girl. My mom taught me how to pray when I was worrying, which did bring me comfort. In young adulthood, I started experiencing panic attacks and had agoraphobic tendencies. After I had my second child, I met a woman named Cindy who was a believer; I was not… She asked me if I’d like to do a Bible study with her and said I could pick any topic. The Lord was already working on me… I agreed to do a Bible study with her and chose the topic of anxiety. She found a study about the Apostle Peter which focused on the following passage:
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:25-32
This passage resonated with me so much. I identified with Peter. I saw my anxiety as the “waves” in this story. I was too focused on them rather than on the Lord Jesus.
During my time in that Bible study, I learned what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. I eventually cried out to the Lord, “Save me!” and He did!
The Lord used my anxiety to ultimately draw me into a saving relationship with Him. As uncomfortable as my former years had been suffering from the effects of anxiety and panic attacks, I am so very grateful for that trial for it truly saved my life for all eternity!
If you haven’t accepted the Lord Jesus yet as your personal Savior, if you are in the thick of trials and the “waves” are crashing you repeatedly into the “rocks of the shoreline,” and if you're wondering whether there even is a God, cry out to Him to save you, and He will! You will feel the peace that surpasses all understanding and find God in the midst of the storm, comforting you and calming your “seas.”
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.” Romans 8:28
I wish I could say that I was completely healed from anxiety, but that is not the case. However, my story doesn’t end there.
For those of us who are believers, life’s circumstances and trials can still pull us away from the Lord. We are focused on those “waves,” or we may even be angry at God because of the situations we find ourselves in. Sadly, in times of trial, I too can find myself pulling away from the Lord or even becoming angry at Him.
I can still struggle with anxiety, and I get into my own head, away from God—and it always revolves around health concerns. Although my anxiety is so much better now that I know the Lord, my health can still be my Achilles heel where I’ll start “sinking into the waves” in fear. But is it really my Achilles heel? I guess you could say this has been the “thorn in my side” that has ultimately kept me close to the Lord. God uses this “weakness” to keep drawing me back to Himself because I am drifting away, trying to do things on my own strength rather than relying on Him. Other times, I am living my life and not depending on Him as I should. But because He loves me so much, He pulls me close in this very specific, loving way.
It's all about perspective. There is nothing the Lord allows into our lives without His love being the motivation. Just think, our great and mighty God loves us so much that He wants to be in constant communion with us and desires to help us every step of the way. Sometimes, we are so set in our own way that He sends these “trials” to turn our focus back to Him where we can experience the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Let us be quick to turn and recognize the Lord’s loving invitation to spend time with Him even when it comes in the form of a trial.
Remember, He isn't finished writing your story.
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4
Although this section might not resonate with everyone in their current season of life, if you carry this promise in your younger days, it will fill you with anticipation about old age rather than fear and trepidation. I regret not having done that now that I am in my mid-60s where fears about growing old can cause the “thorn in my side” to poke me once again.
Of all the seasons of life, our senior years pose many daunting challenges, from losing loved ones, friends, and spouses, to losing our own health or, in some cases, our cognitive abilities, yet the Lord doesn’t disappear or “become less effective." He is the same God who has carried us through our lives thus far, and He will carry us through to eternity.
By this time in our Christian walk, we have had our faith muscles exercised over and over again. We have gained confidence in our Heavenly Father to strengthen, comfort, and rescue us. But we may still have times of faltering, especially due to some of the toughest challenges of our lives. It might be hard to look anywhere else but the “waves” because they are pushing us under, and we are struggling to get our heads back up from the depths. Yet God promises that even when our hairs are gray He will rescue us.
I have a dear friend who is 92 years old and sharp as a whip. Recently, she has had some health challenges that have left her in severe pain with one disappointment after the other, as medical professionals are having difficulty finding an effective treatment plan. This has also made her unable to attend church services that she so dearly loves. When I go to visit her, I can see she is struggling due to the pain and is uncomfortable, but she has her Bible right next to her and she tells me that in this season of pain, she feels God’s presence as she spends even more time with Him in the Word and prayer. She remains hopeful in this life for healing, while she looks forward to the next life when she will be free from all pain, with her Savior in heaven.
As we grow old, we have the advantage of a very long record of all the ways God has been faithful and all the ways He has been close to us in every season of life. I imagine we will look back fondly even at those times of trial because we will remember how the Lord upheld and delivered us. Let that be your strength in difficulty and spur you on, once again, to trust in the Lord and lean into His invitation to rest in Him once more.
God will use trials in old age, even in those with a strong faith, to draw them closer still in sweet fellowship, as one day soon, they will be living with Him in heaven.
Whatever your “Achilles heel” might be, or whatever trials threaten to ruin your story, see them as God’s specially tailored invitations for you to draw close to Him where you will find loving communion wrapped in purpose, joy, and peace.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/kieferpix
Karen Del Tatto is a blogger, author, women's ministry leader, pastor's wife, mom, and grandmother who is passionate about the Word of God. Her blog Growing Together in Grace and Knowledge and her books Choosing to Trust God: Breaking the Habit of Worry, A 30-Day Devotional and Choosing to Trust God Companion Journal reveal her heart for providing Biblical insights to encourage women to grow in and through their struggles while equipping them to overcome. Karen and her husband live in Rhode Island and enjoy walks in the woods, owling, and spending time with their grandchildren.