Community worship is a part of life at all our Bethesda Senior Living Communities. Seniors of faith residing at these communities can choose to take part in weekly worship opportunities, visits to local churches, devotionals and Bible studies. Many communities also have on-site chaplains to assist with spiritual well-being.
As a faith-based organization, we invest in these opportunities because we know there's never a time when Christians are meant to go it alone in this life. God designed us to fellowship with and support one another, which is a theme at our assisted living communities. And we also know that even seniors who are life-long Christians still need to nourish their faith regularly.
No one gets to a certain age or a number of years with Jesus and suddenly knows everything or stops growing in their walk with God. That's not how this world or we are designed; there's always another step to take as we manage our lives on this earth. That's one reason it's important for seniors of faith to continue to surround themselves with people and opportunities to grow their faith.
Older adults are often not strangers to struggle. They've lived through a long life that came with ups and downs. And while retirement offers some ability to relax from the grind of a daily work life, it doesn't come with a free pass to perfect living every day.
Common struggles that older adults might face include the loss of loved ones or friends, issues with mobility or health and potential loneliness. Everyone is unique, though, so your struggles may be very different from these. And that's okay.
It's also okay that you struggle. Paul writes a lot about his own struggles in his letters to the various churches and Christians at the time. He sees struggle as part of the human condition and encourages Christians to take heart in their struggles — to find Christ within them and to share them with others so that their burdens are reduced. Nourishing your faith as a senior helps you do these things.
Here's another thing you never outgrow: God's plan in your life. As a senior, you still have a purpose in this world and God is still working out his plan for you. And one of those purposes may be to share the love of Jesus with others.
That doesn't mean you need to go through the process of becoming a licensed minister or sign up to teach Sunday School at a local church — although these are fine options for many seniors. Even someone living in an assisted living community. But you can shine the light of Christ in a way that is unique to you as long as you continue to nourish your faith no matter how old you are.
