I was having a conversation with someone about birthdays and they shared they dread their birthday. According to the internet, lots of people dread their birthdays because they are another year older. One explanation was, "around the time the hair on your head starts to disappear, it can show up in the strangest places. This can mean large hairs in older guys' noses and ears. Older women may notice small hairs on their chins. This is all caused by changes in our hormones." "Our sleeping patterns can shift as we age, so we get sleepier earlier and wake up earlier." "Once you hit your 70s, those migraines you may have had much of your life may go away. Only 10% of women and 5% of men over 70 still report migraines. Even better news: If you do have a migraine, it may not actually come with the headache. As people age, some may experience migraines as visual or sensory disturbances without pain." I also read over and over that among the perks of getting older is that seniors tend to make better decisions, are more emotionally stable and become less impulsive than their younger peers. Most get more agreeable as they age, at least through their 60s. You are likely to be happier and less inclined to get angry. They tend to control their emotions better and focus more on getting the most out of life!
So why do we quit celebrating birthdays after we grow up? It seems there are lots of reasons why. Some people even think of birthdays as discouraging. Some people are disappointed at where they are in life, they have not met their own expectations. Maybe they feel unsatisfied with their lack of accomplishments in the last year. The good news for people who feel that way is every day is a new beginning and what better time to make life changes than your birthday. A time to pause and reflect. We know who we need to be more like, Jesus Christ. We know Who can help guide us, Jesus! And we have the perfect instruction book, His Word. And we do not have to do this alone because we have help 24/7, the Holy Spirit! If we do this we will have a better future. Jeremiah 18: 8, "...and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned." When we repent, God gives us a clean slate to start all over! A new beginning!
When we are made new by Jesus, we feel grateful and blessed and are ready to enjoy the journey. 1 Samuel 2: 1, "Then Hannah prayed and said: 'My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance." We can enjoy the journey because we know we have the best Guide. Instead of focusing on the destination we can enjoy the scenery. Our eyes will be opened to beauty all around us. And we know that God has a special plan for us. Jeremiah 29: 11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Let's be thankful about getting another year older. Psalm 71: 6, "From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you." God's presence has been with us throughout our whole life! He brought us out of our mothers womb. Psalm 71: 17, "Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds." He never left us from our birth through our youth to adulthood. And as we age, He is still with us. Psalm 71: 18, "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come." I love this verse because He is telling us we never retire from God's work. As my pastor says, "if you ain't dead, you ain't done." We have to declare His power to the next generation! God had blessed the psalmist with His presence through every year of his life. Just as God has blessed the psalmist with His presence through every year of his life, He has done for each of us! Let your birthday remind you of God's faithfulness! Make it a day of thanking and praising God for all that He has done!