Renewed Day by Day

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4

It’s a bit disturbing to look in the mirror these days. There’s skin where there used to be hair. The beard doesn’t really cover the wrinkles. That’s just looking in a face mirror; I avoid full length mirrors at all cost. As we age, we are certainly wasting away, even if the scale denies it. Spend a few minutes watching television or thumbing though a magazine and it will be clear to you that our biggest industry may be fighting the effects of aging. It’s an expensive fight and a losing battle. It’s easy to lose heart.

What the young don’t understand and what is one of the great frustrations of aging, is that inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Our minds aren’t wasting away, at least not yet. We have the same love and passion and hopes and desires as we have always had. Much more our experience adds to our knowledge of the goodness and faithfulness of God. This, too, renews us day by day. We have so much more experience of seeing God present and active in our lives with each passing year.  We are also renewed by observing the young ones we love. We are excited by the promise of their lives and the energy they bring to each new day. Age brings the time and wisdom to live outside of ourselves and to appreciate and love the lives of others, sometimes more exciting and more active.

Perhaps our greatest waste is in failing to recognize and use the assets which are our older brothers and sisters. The most active folks at church are usually the oldest. The wisest in the room are often ignored as the younger prance around and cackle incoherently.

As each of us ages and experiences daily renewal, let’s grow in our appreciation of those who have experienced even more and are even more renewed. That wisdom and renewal is harder to see, and for that reason, all the more important to recognize.