As at every other stage, God wants to equip you to meet these new challenges. He promises, “As your days, so shall your strength be.”2 The strength He provides at midlife is the maturity that you have gained through experience. He wants you to further develop that strength of spirit and character, and you do that by involving Him more in your thoughts and daily activities. As for goals and priorities, He will help you sort those out too. If you will look to Him for guidance, He will give it to you.3 He may even help you find ways to do some of those things you’ve always wanted to do, and strengthen you accordingly.
If you aren’t in the habit of taking your problems to Him in prayer and receiving His solutions and strength in return, you may feel like you don’t know where to start, but it’s really quite simple: Tell God you’re making room for Him, and He will meet you there.4 Talk with Him, as you would with a friend. Then, like a muscle, your relationship with Him will grow stronger through daily use.
Midlife done that way can be the happiest and most fulfilling stage of life that you have yet experienced!
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One bedrock Bible promise that makes a wonderful point of reference during midlife is found in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to those who love God.” If you love God and know how much He loves you, then you can be sure that He has your best interests at heart and wants to use even the challenges that come with midlife to help you make positive changes. You will then be able to see midlife through the eyes of faith, looking not at the difficulties, but at the new possibilities you know He will open to you.—Maria Fontaine
1. Psalm 46:1
2. Deuteronomy 33:25
3. Proverbs 3:5–6; James 1:5
4. James 4:8