iWork4Him PowerThought

As we contemplate retirement, the horizon before us is full of immense opportunity. There are so many needs to fulfill and so many things to do; the adventure is exciting. But how do we find out what we're supposed to do in retirement? Well, we need to see where God is working and go and join Him there. There is a dire need for foster grandparents. There's a dire need to be an adoptive grandparent to those families who don't have grandparents around. There's a dire need for mentorship and discipleship for the next generations, using your life experiences and Jesus experiences so that they can learn from you. You are not dead; therefore, you are not done. You are not washed up because you're 65. In fact you are loaded and ready for making an impact without the constraints of working nine to five. Let's get going.

Does your calling retire when you do? Is our calling just for our years from 20 to 65? Does God have a call on all of our lives or just those predetermined working years? It is so important to recognize that the American government created the age 65 milestone. When we were born, we were born with a call on our lives. We were given a unique set of gifts, talents, and abilities that are ours for a lifetime to serve under the direction of our Lord. I understand you may want something different to do after age 65, but just understand this: whatever you do will utilize those gifts, talents, and abilities along with the wisdom and knowledge you've gained. Your calling does not retire when you do.

It's important to recognize that very few of us think about what God wants us to do during our retirement years. We focus our thoughts on our adventures, the vacations we plan, and how many times we can play golf, tennis, or pickleball. But what does God want us to do? When we retire, our callings do not. How do we know what God wants us to do? We ask Him. This is no small task either, as retirement can be 30 years of our lives. We must spend significant time seeking the Lord for what those retirement years look like. I can give you a clue. Your lifelong experiences, wisdom, and knowledge will be used in whatever God calls you to do during your retirement years. God has a purpose for your retirement years and it involves flourishing, fulfillment, and excitement.

Let's face the reality: every one of us spends a little time dreaming about our retirement. In fact, many of us spend time saving money for retirement, but to be honest with you, almost none of us plan on how we will spend our time in retirement other than going on vacation. God has way bigger plans for you than to just be on vacation during retirement. He wants you to flourish just like you did while you were working. He wants you to live with purpose and fulfillment as you live in your community. He wants you to pour your life into those in the upcoming generations. He wants you to plan for what you're retiring to. Spend some time today asking the Lord what it is He wants you to do in the final phase of your life.

When you retire, does your calling retire too? Does our calling run out when Social Security kicks in? I don't think so. Your mission field assignment may or may not change later on in life. Some of you have a career that could go until very late in life. Just because you're 65 doesn't mean that you're done working. Sure, maybe you need to change things up or perhaps you need to work fewer hours. But it's important to realize that as a Jesus follower, everywhere you go, everyone around you should be benefiting from your faith, whether they believe in Jesus or not. What better place to invest your life than in an industry you have spent your life learning? The American dream of retirement is a lie. 30 years of vacation is not a dream; it's a nightmare. Ask God what He has for you in retirement.

Why are you retiring? Is it because you're too old to work? Is it because you're ready for a break? Is it because you're ready for a change? We need to recognize why we want to retire. Change is OK. But it doesn't mean that retirement is an end to our work. God gave us work as a gift. That gift perpetuates throughout our lives until the very last breath. Our work is meant to glorify God. If you're retiring because you're just tired of the job that you're in or the industry that you're in. Maybe God has something new and fresh for you. Remember this. You have a lifetime of wisdom that the next generations need. The next generations desperately need you to pour your life into them. Retire with a purpose, and pour your life into another.

So many retirees in America have spent a lifetime preparing for retirement. Well, I should say they're preparing their financial means for retirement, but are they preparing for what God has them to do in their retirement? The answer is almost categorically no. How much time have you spent preparing for how God will use you when you retire? Does that planning include how you will use your gifts, talents, and spiritual abilities for God's glory in the community that needs you? Or is most of that time spent dreaming about how you will relax in the sunshine and always have a perpetual tan? You've heard it said that many people who retire with no purpose end up returning to work or dying. Why don't you ask God for His plan for you and your retirement?

The American dream of retirement is a lie. The American dream says that we will retire and live out the remainder of our lives on vacation, enjoying sunsets on the beach where every day is filled with pleasure and deep satisfaction. One problem. It never works out this way. Most of us know what we are going to retire from. We're retiring from a job we just want to be done with. It has paid our bills and provided a living for our family, but we're ready for some change. Does God desire that change to be a 30-year vacation? I don't think so. It's easy to know what you're retiring from, but what are you retiring to? God has been investing in you for a lifetime. You have a hoard of wisdom. God's plan for you is to use that wisdom in your next life stage.

The American Dream of Retirement is a lie. It's also not biblical. God never intended for us to retire from work and then go on a perpetual vacation. Retirement is only mentioned once in the Bible and only for levitical priests. However, when they retired, their next role was to train up the next generation of levitical priests. We can learn a lot from that model. If you are retired or almost retired, God has a plan for the remaining years of your life. That plan is to use your lifetime of experiences wherever you go. Will it involve some vacation time? Absolutely. But as long as you are not dead, God is not done with you. Our Retirement years can be the most fulfilling years of our lives as Jesus Followers because we walk in wisdom and can impact the next generations of our family and our community.

One day a friend of mine called me and said "Jim, I have been trying to mentor and disciple my friend for 2 years now. He is hopeless. Maybe He will listen to you." That was almost 10 years ago now. My new mentee was not a believer yet, was struggling with issues from the battlefield that impacted his marriage, and was very skeptical of church culture. For 3 years, we wrestled about faith topics in person, by phone, and by text. Finally, he surrendered his life to Jesus, which is hard for war vets to do, and then the real work began. For the next 7 years, we read and studied the bible together, discussing family, work, faith, and parenting issues. Today he is challenging me with things about my faith. God has worked a miracle. Mentoring this young man has made a difference for eternity. Pour your Jesus Life into someone today.