In cultures that value youth, birthdays can sometimes be bittersweet. When you’re a child you look forward to reaching double digits and growing up. As a teenager you look forward to the benefits of becoming an adult.
But, usually after their 20’s, many people begin to dread their milestone birthdays…
30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 years old
Those milestone birthdays can give people an overwhelming feeling of leaving their youth behind. You’re reaching those ages that you have always considered ‘old’. You’re reaching a number of years that you may remember your parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents at that age.
You’re getting old!
There’s truth to the old statement that age is nothing but a number. You have the power to enjoy each and every birthday God allows you to see through your mindset. Don’t let society dictate to you how to view getting older…
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
REMEMBER, IT’S A BLESSING TO GET OLD
Unfortunately, there are so many people who don’t live to see old age. Years are a blessing from the Lord. The only way to avoid old age is to die young.
Psalm 91:16 (NKJV)
16 With [a]long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”
Proverbs 20:29 (NKJV)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
The only way to avoid old age is to die young. Thank God for every birthday that He blesses you to see. Embrace the blessing of another year because there are many who share your birthday and year who didn’t live to see your shared milestone birthday. Do you have classmates and friends and relatives your age who are no longer here? Be thankful because it could have been you.
YOU’RE STILL YOUNGER THAN YOU WILL EVER BE
As we grow older we are still always younger than we will ever be if God allows us to live.
If you are turning 50, you’re no longer in your LATE 40’s, but you are now in your EARLY 50’s. You are 10 years, 3,652 days, 521 weeks, and 120 months from your 60’s. Enjoy every day, week and year of your milestone and subsequent years. Stop thinking, ‘I’m almost 65’. Enjoy every year of being 64. I think you get the point. You are always younger than you will ever be if the good Lord allows you to continue to live.
Psalm 90:12 (NKJV)
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
STOP VIEWING YOUR FROM THE AGE YOU WERE
Stop viewing yourself from the perspective of your LATE 20’s, 30’s, 50’s etc. and begin viewing yourself from the perspective of your EARLY 30’s, 40’s 50’s, 60’s etc.
If you’re turning 40, those in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s view you as ‘younger’. Think about how much younger those people who are 10 and 20 years younger than you seem. Too many times we continue to view life from the perspective of when we were younger. As you grow older, let your maturity and level of thinking change with your age.
EMBRACE YOUR NEW ROLES IN LIFE
As your perspective changes you will be able to embrace your new role in life.
Job 12:12 (NKJV)
12 Wisdom is with aged men,
And with [a]length of days, understanding.
With age comes wisdom and respect if we live our lives with integrity and learn from the mistakes of our youth. Embrace those lessons and the respect that should come with getting older. Enjoy becoming parents and grandparents. Be okay with being the oldest person in the group. There are some answers and solutions that only your age, experience and wisdom can bring. There is great value in that. The more that we value the benefits of getting older, the more our culture will shift to respect age rather than look down upon it.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
There are many people in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s in better health and better ‘shape’ than some people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. God tells us to take care of our ‘temples’ (1 Corinthians 3:16,17). Of course there are health conditions that we have no control over, but eating healthy, exercising, getting proper rest, managing stress, and letting God guide you in your decisions can help you maintain a higher quality of life as you get older.
How many times have you heard people say, “40 is then new 20” or “50 is the new 30”. It is true that people these days seem much younger than they did at the same age years ago. That’s okay as long as you aren’t still behaving and thinking as you did when you were 20 years younger.
So if this is a milestone year for you, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy every year God gives you!
BE BLESSTIFIED!
BE BLESSTIFIED! 
One writer used to say, “Make it your aim to age with grace.” I’ve tried keeping that as my goal.
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Amen!!!
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I was 7, almost 8, when I first realized how fast time can go by. My mother had sent me to bed to take a nap, because she was tired. Being wide awake and very bored, I decided to amuse myself by counting from “1” to as high as I could count.
Because my birthday was coming up soon, I decided to count, not just numbers, but birthdays. (Apparently I hadn’t heard about counting sheep, yet!)
“First I was 1 and then I was 2, then I was 3 and then I was 4, then I was 5 and then I was 6, now I am 7 and soon I’ll be 8, then I’ll be 9 and then I’ll be 10, then I’ll be 11…”
Do you see why my mother was tired, lol? On and on and on I counted, quickly making it up to “and then I’ll be 20, wow!” And still the numbers flew by, until suddenly I was up to my 60s.
I remember very clearly that I was somewhere in the 60 numbers when my counting came to a screeching halt, as I realized that 60-something is REALLY OLD — and it had taken me almost no time to get there!
Not even my wrinkled, gray-haired grandparents were that old. They were all still in their 40s — like my oldest son and my daughter are, today!
Thankfully, the years have not flown by as quickly as I was able to count them when I was in the second grade. But I still find it hard to believe that I turned 65 earlier this year. That’s the top category for the MSN polls, you know? When you get to the question where they ask your age, all the younger years are grouped together in categories, until you get to the last group, which is 65+. I mean, really! That’s just insulting.
But the truth is that I am super grateful to still be above ground. I tire more easily than I used to, but other than that, my health is excellent. I look much younger than my age, which I believe is because I eat a healthier than average diet, plus I drink lots of filtered water, I regularly exercise (including facial exercises), and I take Omega 3-6-9 and grape seed extract antioxidant supplements every day.
Best of all, I am the happiest now that I have ever been in my entire life, by far. Truly, I LOVE being 65! God has blessed me so much, and I trust that He will see me through to the very end — which will be a glorious, unfathomable, eternal BEGINNING!
I love what it says in Isaiah 46:4:
Even to your old age, I am He,
And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you. (NKJV)
Thank You, Lord!
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Hallelujah my sister!!!!!
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Thank you brother, just in time for my upcoming birthday next week.😊
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My Bday is next week too:-) Wednesday! It’s a milestone.
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Mine is Sunday and half way to my next milestone! 😊
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Happy birthday!!!!!!
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Thank you !
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