Today is my birthday! I am 48 years old! But there seems to be a culture amongst people my age and older to down play birthdays and to bemoan getting older. I don't share that sentiment. I believe that every birthday is an achievement and is a great reason for a celebration!
However this year I have found it a little bit more tricky to celebrate age. Last Sunday I met up with the one of my best friends who is being treated for bowel cancer. The week before I learned that another friend from university has also been diagnosed with cancer. Age this year therefore has seems to be about illness and dealing with difficult things that life throws at us.
I was wondering with my best friend how we find a way to deal with life when it is different to what we expected. She is a person of joy and bounce and boundless energy - all of which she has understandably had to say goodbye to at the moment. I can relate to that. The MS I live with means that there are many things that I can no longer do. The conclusion we came to was peace; the need for God’s peace. So I wonder - can we find a way to receive peace from God for the difficult things in life that mean we are not the same as the person we used to be? The Prince of Peace, the man who offered peace to his disciples also comes to offer us peace when there are things we rant and rail against.
But let's also not forget that God promises his presence in everything. That well known hymn Abide with Me has the lyrics:
“Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.”
May we know the changeless, ever present God offering us his peace when we are aware of life difficulties.
Comments