Don't Waste Your Retirement

Lots of possibilities…that’s all this very poetic phrase means.  A “sea” of anything means “lots.”  So when I recently heard this phrase, I asked myself if I’m looking at a “sea of possibilities” during these retirement years.  That’s the first thing that popped into my mind – did I have the best view of the years ahead I could experience?

For each one of us, in our peculiar circumstances of life which include considering finances, health, family responsibilities and more, as we look at our “sea” we will see things uniquely…each one of us putting our personal spin on what it means to look ahead of today and ask ourself, “what is really possible?”

Is it OK to “dream big” at this age?  We’re told constantly in scripture to pray big – ask, seek, knock – go for it with God.  Everything is possible with Him, so what does our creative part of our brain tell us and how does our objective reasoning process that creativity?  How do we, at this stage of life, put creativity into action that makes sense?

I spend a lot of time pondering, assessing, asking myself questions, wondering.  I know life is not static and that changes can occur at any time.  I frequently throw away the parameters I have accepted and just imagine…what if???  I know it’s one reason I’m still working in missions – my heart has been telling me most of my life to go, then God asked me to go and also gave me permission to go.  Creative and objective came together and here I am.

So when I hit a moment of wondering “what could be,” I let my mind roam around fairly freely, trying not to limit myself because I know God can do anything through me, he can ask me to do whatever he needs done, he can bless me with good gifts and he can strengthen me to face challenges.  Anything is possible…

So what does that mean to you at this stage of life?  Where does some unhindered imagination take you?  Of course the list of specifics is an endless “sea of possibilities” and we can get quite carried away with our “wish list.”  But if we’re submitting all we are to God, where does he take us on this journey of “what could be” in this season.

Try some different ways of pondering and see where each one takes you.  Try simple self-indulgence – anything you want to experience, anywhere you want to go.  Try prayerfully listening for God’s voice giving you direction of what he knows you can do for the Kingdom.  Discuss with a trusted friend or spouse to see if two heads are better than one.  See what starts emerging from these moments.  

You might end up traveling, teaching, mentoring, learning something new (mine is taking art classes – a skill that has evaded me my entire life), ministering in new ways to your family or to your neighborhood, serving at church, starting a non-profit, joining a prayer group or prayer walking your neighborhood, exercising, studying a new subject or learning a new skill…the list is endless.  It’s exciting to even consider what God could speak into your life.

Take some time soon to ponder, assess, ask questions, wonder.  Write down answers, then ask God to bring order over them so you can see clearly what your specific “sea of possibilities” is for this moment in your life.  

This post’s question:  What single thing can you plan to do this year that will matter most in 10 years?

And a quote to ponder as you ponder from the book Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer.

“The spiritual teacher Pete Scazzero once told me a maxim that was passed on to him by an older, wiser mentor:  ‘The best decade of your life will be your seventies, the second best will be your eighties, and the third will be your sixties.’  By ‘best’ he did not mean the happiest (though I expect that too) but our richest and most joyful and helpful to others.”