How to Be Grateful For Your Aging Body
Today is my 37th birthday. I was born on the darkest, shortest day of the year–the winter solstice. It’s a good day for candle lighting, cozy fires, puzzles, and festive mugs of hot chocolate.
It’s not a great day to throw a birthday party. It’s one of those birthdays too close to a holiday when people always have plans and are busy trying to bake Christmas cookies, wrap presents, and see family. So I’ve gotten pretty good at celebrating myself! I love to hole up in a coffee shop and spend a large chunk of the day reflecting, journaling gratitude, and planning for the future.
Let’s be honest, though; there are definitely things I’m not thankful for about aging.
- My eyes, which seem to accumulate dark circles in a vampire-like fashion.
- My waistline that doesn’t shrink as easily as it did when I was 26.
- My energy levels–I can pretty much fall asleep anywhere.
- Arm flab. Enough said.
- An autoimmune disease that stalks my body.
- The flagging ability to process dairy.
- The gray hairs, the chin hairs, the baby hairs growing wildly from my firmly uncool side part.
And the list could go on and on. Like anything in life, I can see the onward march of time as detrimental, especially in a world obsessed with anti-aging.
God’s Promise to My Aging Body
As I flip through my social media, the ads come in strong for ways to smooth my wrinkles, dress more on-trend, get rid of cellulite, and return to the body I had 10-15 years ago. The body that hadn’t birthed three kids, walked through chronic pain, or held my friends as their marriages fell apart.
God speaks these words to Israel through Isaiah, reminding them of His constant care from birth to old age.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
Isaiah 46:4, NLT
God’s promise is to keep sustaining, keep carrying, and keep rescuing us–even as our earthly bodies have passed their prime and our days on earth grow shorter. God’s promise means I can be thankful for my aging body and all the ways God is meeting me in and through her.
- Eyes that are faster to spot someone hurting and acknowledge their pain.
- A body that can empathize in new ways for others with chronic illnesses.
- Arms which reach wide and hold space for others to be weary and broken too.
- A mouth that doesn’t tear down my body out loud (still working on the in my head part) and won’t tolerate when others speak ill over what God has called good.
- A heart that knows more of the “full body of work” of the Lord. That doubts and worries less because I know He has always come through for me.
When I pause, it is easy to thank God for how He is sustaining me–body and soul–at my current age. To reframe how I see and speak about my neighbors, as fellow image bearers, deeply loved and carried close by God at every age and stage of life.
What Matters Most
One day, I’ll release the body that sunburns easily, has crinkles around blue eyes, a soft stomach, and bunions. The sting of death will give way to an eternal reality where my body isn’t a big part of the equation anymore. What matters will be not the time I invested in face masks or fashion, but knowing my Father and seeking His kingdom way of living.
So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:31-33, NLT
The Message paraphrase puts that highlighted section above in these words: “People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.”
When I soak my life in God’s agenda, knowing Him well, and living out His calling for my life, I don’t have to fuss over the details. I’m filled with gratitude for the ways my body shows up for me, allowing me to live with joy and purpose even with creakier knees and fresh laugh lines. Each day, each year of aging is a glorious gift from my Father who knows, sustains, and carries me over a lifetime of faith.
Meet Katie M. Scott
Katie M. Scott is a writer, online content creator, and speaker who empowers women to chase vibrance in the everyday moments of life. On her blog, chasingvibrance.com, Katie weaves together practical tips, humorous stories, and Biblical encouragement as she inspires women to pursue joy and intentionality in the big and little moments. Katie is a mom of three wild and wonderful school-age children and makes her home in beautiful West Michigan with her husband, Nate. She is a reluctant dog-mom, drinks her coffee black and sometimes stays up too late reading historical fiction.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
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If you long for deep, meaningful relationships, this is for you!
Creating Ripples
If you would like to cultivate rhythms in addition to gratitude that will empower you live on mission in your neighborhood, check out Cultivating a Missional Life: A 30-Day Devotional to Gently Help You Open Your Heart, Home, and Life to Your Neighbors. This small book will help you make a big impact in your neighborhood as you learn to let missional living flow from the inside out. Get the 30-day missional living challenge free when you purchase the book.
