Where do you want to live? What attitude do you want to have in these retirement years? We’ve all lived the majority of our years and I’m guessing most of us have experienced highs and lows in our attitude toward living every day. We’ve been tossed around by circumstances and struggled to hold on to a positive, abundance attitude…or we have found ourselves unusually blessed with all sorts of resources that we weren’t expecting and experience the abundant living we all yearn for.
But at this stage of life, have we realized that our attitude of living the abundant life is really about a choice we make? Abundance comes in many packages that we’ve had the opportunity to open during various stages of life. Too often in my past I have focused on allowing circumstances to control if I functioned from abundance or scarcity – did we have enough money, did we have enough opportunity, did we have enough experiences and even, did we have enough love. Would others look at us and say we lived an abundant life?
That’s a hard act to live out daily if we’re looking at circumstances. We all know they change and can sometimes change so rapidly our head is spinning with how to adjust. Life is a lovely and peaceful ride when all is going well, we sense that abundance with our emotions and intellect. But when we are being overwhelmed with circumstances that bring scarcity, loss and drought into our lives, where is our well of living water that reminds us we serve a God of abundance? How do we get to that foundational place where our trust is so secure that we know because we serve an abundant God, our lives may look tattered and worn, but our God never is and His resources never run dry?
Retirement can bring the fear of financial insecurity, fragile health and diminished energy. We can look at our circumstances and scream for the clock to stop and nothing to change. Or we can stand on our strong foundation of a God who has provided for us over and over in every aspect of our lives – work, family, ministry, relaxation, general enjoyment of life. At this stage it’s even more critical that we seek out the myriad of blessings God showers on us every day to remind us of His abundance.
I’m choosing to work diligently to have a daily attitude of gratitude that puts me in a place to remember the God I serve. I think it’s incredibly easy to fall prey to those who would bring thoughts of scarcity into our lives – not enough funds to truly enjoy retirement, can’t go like we used to, too many health issues to deal with, loss of friends and family. When the negative invades, we can still count on God to give abundantly! Our faith propels into the light of His goodness, His presence, His abundance.
Perhaps we look in the wrong place sometimes. Perhaps it’s time to examine what the abundant life truly means to each one of us – to examine this season, embrace both the ups and downs and ask God to show us His goodness every day. Circumstances come and go, but God never changes. If we choose an attitude of abundance, it should be rock solid, not because life is always beautiful, but because God is always faithful.
Let’s not miss these verses of truth from God’s Word that guide our path to an attitude of abundance. They promise us a full life, not just at certain stages, but every day, because God provides for His children.
Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Don't Waste Your Retirement 