A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 60th birthday. When I was much younger 60 seems so far away. It appeared to be a huge number as it related to age, but now that I’ve stepped into it, 60 don’t seem large at all. In fact, I would say 60 is still quiet young. Things are seldom what they appear to be when observed from a distance.
Could it be that the obstacles we see in life appear to be larger than they really are? Many of the adversities we encounter in life have one primary goal. That goal is to cause us to take our eyes off the prize. We are already victorious. 1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV “thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” If the enemy can entice us to concentrate on the problem, we set ourselves up for defeat. We lose many battles when we walk in fear. God has not given His children the spirit of fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
As my birthday drew near, instead of looking at it as “I’m getting old” I started focusing on the advantages of being sixty. I am entering a season of life where I can focus less on the small things and more on the end goal. My thoughts were, how can I make this next chapter better? How can I move forward in my Kingdom Assignment? I began to thank God for allowing me to see another birthday. It would be the first one I would celebrate without my husband who passed away nine months ago. The reality of knowing that he didn’t live to see his 60th birthday inspired gratitude in my heart because not everyone is blessed to reach this age.
In this new season, not only has my decade number changed, but life as I knew it has changed. Although I still feel married, my new reality is, I am a widow. But, I am appreciative to God for blessing me with a good husband. I elect to focus on what I have and not on what is missing. I have 28 years of memories, some good and some not so good but none of not being loved, encouraged, and affirmed daily by the man who chose me to be his wife. I choose to highlight the relationships in my life. A loving family and close friends. I’m grateful for kind neighbors, and my sisters and brothers in Christ. I realize that I am a blessed woman.
Life presents an assortment of change and challenge but as we focus on the good things in our lives, the challenges seem smaller. While I know firsthand the difficulty of losing a love one. I am committed to place the greater amount of attention on his life and the impact he made in mines and so many others, and less focus on his death. In the short time we have on earth, I admonish you, don’t look at the obstacle, but zoom in on the opportunity.
I take to heart the words of Job 8:7 NIV “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.” The thought of facing life without my husband seems unimaginable but with each new day, God provides strength and comfort for what’s ahead. I am trusting the all-knowing God that His plan for my life has not changed. So I adjust my attitude and get excited for what God has called me to do. I am aware that my assignment is waiting for me. I was created in 1959 for a purpose and when I focus on that, 60 is not a big number at all.