July 24, 2025 Devo

Isn’t it funny how our bodies change as we grow older? Our eyesight and hearing begin to get worse. Our bodies hurt more, bruise more, and sag more. Our vertical jump becomes a horizontal shuffle. Our lightning-fast reflexes are now timed with a sundial instead of a stopwatch. Our energy and stamina are decreased. Our doctor visits, pharmacy stops, and potty breaks are increased. Our conversations with friends revolve more and more around pills and procedures. We repeat ourselves. We’re more forgetful. We repeat ourselves.
But at the same time, there are some wonderful things about growing older. We worry less about what other people think. If I want to walk out to the mailbox in my lounge pants and t-shirt, I do. We don’t have to prove ourselves anymore. I don’t worry about being “the best” at anything. I’m just happy being “me.” Though my body and mind aren’t quite as well-tuned as in the past, one thing is stronger than ever: My faith in God. My relationship with him is stronger than it has ever been. Just like learning to be married, I’ve lost a lot of my naiveté about God. I’ve discovered I can’t control Him, just like I can’t control my wife. But what I have learned about Him has brought me greater peace and contentment than I ever imagined.
I’ve learned that God loves me no matter what. I can’t tell you how embracing that one fact has changed my life. I used to worry so much about having to prove myself to Him. And I never could. But I don’t worry anymore. I have finally come to a place of being able to accept the fact that He loves me…with all my faults and dysfunctions. Fully. Completely. Unconditionally. I’ve learned that God is Faithful. He has stuck with me through every season of my life. In times of loss, He gave me comfort. In times of hurt, He brought me healing. In times of failure, He was there with His open arms of grace. I’ve also learned that God gives me as much of Himself as I’m open to receive. James says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” It’s so true. Relationships require connection. And God will give us as much connection as we dare to set aside time for. He’ll never force Himself upon us, but He’ll never turn down an opportunity to be with us when we desire to be with Him.
Have you discovered these truths for yourself? We can’t do anything about these old bodies that will continue to grow weaker and more frail year by year. But while our bodies fade, our souls can soar! Seek God with all your heart, and you’ll be able to say with the Psalmist, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” That’s God’s Word for you today.