Is This the Beginning of Your Life, or the End?

Beginning or End?

Dare I ask? How old are you? I’m 68 years old. I often find myself tempted to ask, “Is this the beginning or end?” I deduce that the end is near in response to achy muscles, crackling bones, and dull memory. My wife calls me an eternal optimist. When it comes to anticipating the future, however, I’ll be the first to admit that, at times, I see the darkness rather than the light.

By all calculations,  I am over the hill, on the decline, and some may even think I’m feeble. I’ve noticed lately that young people, especially women, seem to be holding the door for me now. Although I’d like to think it’s because of my handsome good looks, the truth is they’re just not sure if I can walk and hold the door at the same time.

Are These Really the Golden Years?

My dad always said that the golden years were tarnished. Dad was an optimist, too, but during their last few years, he and Mom experienced a lot of disappointment and failing health. Both my mom and dad passed away relatively early in life (mid-70s), and they were never able to live out their retirement dreams.

“Tarnished” may be a pretty good description of how most of us are experiencing our golden years. Whether we face financial, emotional, relational, or physical challenges, or a combination of all of the above, being on the downside of life can get pretty depressing. Some days, I can identify with Zig Ziglar, who used to say, “Somebody done wiped all the shine off my apple.”

So, if I were to ask you again, “Is this the beginning of your life or the end?” what would you say? Maybe my words have discouraged you and convinced you that this is the end. But don’t stop reading! If you do, you’ll miss the good news.

Time for a Fresh Start

As a teenager, I listened to one of the first contemporary Christian bands called, “Bill, Dave, and Mary.” One song says, “Today is the very first day of the rest of your entire life.” This reiterates the words of Paul. He says, “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Phil 4:13-14 NKJV).

So, this is the very first day of the rest of my life. And I’ve put the part of my life I’ve already lived behind me. Therefore, my life is just beginning. My life is given a new perspective! Every single day becomes an opportunity to start again.

Have you seen the movie, “Ground Hog Day?” It’s one of my favorites. The film promotes the concept that one can relive a day until the previous day’s mistakes are corrected. I am certainly not saying this is a biblical principle. However, the concept of a fresh start each morning is consistent with what Scripture teaches. My wife’s favorite verse is “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-23 ESV). This verse indicates that even though we can’t start over each day, God can and does. His mercy and grace cover our past shortcomings and present us with a clean slate each morning.

Beginning or End?

That’s really up to you. Knowing what to do and doing it are often entirely different. Everything mentioned above is true. However, nothing will change if we don’t take practical steps to change our attitudes, thought patterns, and habits. You may find another article of mine, about beginning the new year helpful. I also have a short booklet available as a free download, which lays out a plan for establishing a new direction for your life.

I pray that you will begin approaching each new day as a gift—a present from God, which, when unwrapped, will bring you purpose, peace, and promise.