Those of you who have stuck with my spasmodic blog posting for some time will be well aware of the way that sometimes things I’m reading, conversations I’m part of and experiences I share come together to crystalise something I’ve long been mulling over and motivate me to finally commit those thoughts to writing. Sometimes they remain thoughts that are for my life and growth alone, and you, the reader get a glimpse in what’s going on in the mind of Dave. Sometimes, I’m told, they strike a chord with others.

So, I’m reading a book called  “Jesus and the Powers” by Tom Wright and Michael F Bird (SPCK, London 2024). We’ve just had an election in the UK, and the USA and parts of Europe are also in a period of elections. My colleagues in the Northumbrian Collective (www.northumbrian.org) have been blogging about this and other things that are making our world an unstable and uncomfortable place to be. So, I thought I’d better catch up a bit, and this is one of the books I’ve chosen to read. The book sets out to “address the pressing question: how can Christians engage with the turbulent politics of our time while remaining true to the teaching and example of Jesus?” It’s a book that should make uncomfortable reading for those in the West who are compromising their faith and selling out in order to have a seat and a say at the table of power.

The book contrasts the Bible’s teaching about the ongoing growth of the Kingdom of God since the resurrection of Jesus inaugurated a new creation of spirit-filled people whose task it is to build for the Kingdom (notice, not “build the Kingdom”…only God can do that, but he has chosen to partner with new humanity to do this…what we do and the way we do it matters) with the way others try to build ‘kingdoms’ or even try to build God’s Kingdom for him.

The passages that I read, that spoke into things that are significant to me at this time are these:

“Whatever your age, ableness, sex, education, limitations, fears, stage of life or self-doubts, you have something to contribute to the coming kingdom. Why else is the spirit given, other than to convict us, inspire us and empower us to do what we would not ordinarily be able to do by ourselves? Let your heart be burdened by the needs you see about you. Let your mind be haunted by a great missionary task that remains unfinished. Let your conscience be pricked by a grave injustice that goes on blighting your land. The, as far as you are able, in your season of life, pick one ministry in your church to help with and one cause to partner with…Look around. We live in interesting times, dire times, dangerous times, tragic and terrible times. What will you do with your life? Give it over into staring into some luminous screen or do something that echoes in God’s new creation. The world needs kingdom-minded Christians now more than ever.” P88 and 89

I have arrived at that time of life we call retirement. I’ve already retired and then returned to work once, mainly for economic reasons. But a recent enforced move of home and locality have taken me away from the place I’ve lived and worked for the last 14 years. This has led to an unexpected loss of focus, direction and purpose in my life, and I’m working hard to try to put things back together. The fact that I’m also ‘old’ now is not helping. In case you think this is just an opportunity for me to have a good moan, I came to where I am now fully open and expectant that God would bless this new stage of my life and give me fresh opportunities to build for the Kingdom; that is why I describe my experience as “unexpected”. I’ve been praying and working, talking and listening to people but have struggled to fight off the overwhelming sense of being in limbo and to find God’s way forward.

A Zoom meeting with the support group someone I pray for regularly has really helped me to put some structure on my jumbled thoughts, and I offer it here with thanks to my friend and in the hope that it may be useful to others who are navigating the waters of the retired life, especially, but not solely those who have been in some kind of paid role in a church, Christian organisation or charity.

Some things to help us discern the way forward as we age:
CALLING
Under God’s guidance, what has been the thing that our vocation and passion has revolved around?
For example, a friend once said to me, “It wouldn’t matter what you’re doing, you’ll always be a teacher”, reflecting my passion to help people grow in understanding and knowledge, which hopefully results in changed behaviour.

CAPABILITY
As we age, we begin to be aware of limitations that weren’t around in our younger years.
Don’t think I need to comment on this one.

COMMITMENT (to family)
At this stage of our lives, we have more time available for our partner and our children and grandchildren (if we have them).
I still have a working wife, and I think that the way I respond to this one is probably different to  if I was part of a retired couple or a single person.

CHOOSING
Taking the first three factors into consideration, what things we’re doing do we need to put down and what new opportunities do we need to pick up or say “no” to.
Nowadays, I find that if I over-commit myself I rapidly become anxious, and often end up pulling out of whatever I’ve committed to, which isn’t a good way to be. I’m getting better at saying ‘no’, even to things I would enjoy or have been good at in the past.

“Just because I can do something, doesn’t mean I should”, has become a bit of a mantra for me.

What about you? No matter what stage of life you’re in, how do you make decisions about the things you give your time to?