How does he retire? Must be a good sleep every morning. I envy you. Do you have travel plans? How is your golf game? I have heard these comments many times in the past six months, and when I respond, I am confronted with a stream of feelings and thoughts. It is assumed that I have come to the time of my life, when I can calm down, do what I like, and wait for God to call me home for glory. Some people think that retirement is a soft life that does not require more responsibilities in the workplace. The goals of life are complete. These questions can be interpreted as humiliating, degrading or even condescending, especially a person who has had an active life. This person may react with anger, a sense of repression, and aversion to other lack of understanding. The dictionary does not help defending retirement in this way: to leave business or public life in order to live at a leisure with incomes, savings or a pension. Many of the misconceptions about retirement are created by people who have reached this stage of life. They may say that I was there, did it, and I do not want to participate, or do not ask me to do everything that I did my time. They may carry an aura of bitterness when they lay it down. Some of them occupy prestigious positions, and suddenly they feel that they have lost their identity. What is my value my value? Easier to remove. Many become depressed. But the biblical view of retirement is very different from those views. Old age should be honorable and respected. With age comes wisdom. Rise in the presence of the elderly, show respect for the elderly and honor God. I am the Lord (Lev. 19:32). Listen, my sons, for father's instructions; pay attention and gain understanding (paragraph 4: 1). They will still bear fruit in old age, they will remain fresh and green (Ps.92: 14). Retirement leaves the motorway and uses country roads. It is a time of growth and change, reorientation, re-equipment and renewal. But above all, it is a time of reflection, contemplation, reflection and prayer.
My first retirement occurred in the late 50s after 30 years in the public education arena. I practiced acting as a school psychologist, administrator, associate professor at a college, and a marriage and family therapist. The prospect of a leisurely life flashed on my seductive rays, but God in his wisdom put in my way opportunities that were more attractive to me. Listening to the Holy Spirits, I set a carp day. The next 10 years have been the most successful in my life! My very diverse career preparation suddenly merged into a complete whole. The old male dream that the prophet Joel spoke about (2:28) and supported by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17) came into being. Programs became a reality, people were blessed, and the power of God's presence filled me with abundant joy. But at every stage of development, life presents its problems. This is especially true in the Christian life. Scripture never depicts this life as one of ease or as a bed of roses. We are called to participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that we can participate in His glory (2 Cor.1: 5, 1 Peter 3:14, 17, 4: 1, 12-19). The Apostle Paul often wrote about the difficulties he experienced as a servant of Jesus Christ, but he also rejoiced in the favor and blessings that he received in abundance. Similarly, a Christian adviser must be careful to portray the good life over 60 years old. These years can be the happiest years of life of an experienced citizen, filled with opportunities for ingenuity and creativity. However, retirement years can also be associated with health, emotional and financial problems.
* The role of consultants *
A Christian counselor can play a significant role in assisting an intended retiree in reviewing the retirement period. As the life span of baby boomers increases, the number of people over 65 will be
increase dramatically. Retirement can be a time of joy, hope and satisfaction. Of course, for some there will be financial problems, distress of depression and loneliness for others, problems associated with physical disabilities and poor health for others. However, an astute counselor may induce the interested person to change their attitude towards these issues. The role of the Christian counselor is to create a solid platform for creating a strong behavioral structure for a person who is approaching retirement. Help the client redefine words of freedom, productivity, and time in terms that relate to his or her new lifestyle. Freedom is the greatest gift giving that gives you the freedom to pursue your own interests, pursue dreams, develop talents, and open up new opportunities for fulfillment; the freedom to do what you always wanted to do. But freedom can be abused if used as an escape from purposeful efforts. Freedom defined in the spiritual world may acquire a new meaning. For freedom, Christ set us free. Then stand and do not allow yourself to be burdened with the yoke of slavery again (Gal.5: 1). Proper use of this newfound freedom can provide the space needed to discover new discoveries regarding abilities and talents.
Productivity in the world of work provided the means of financial gain, but upon retirement, the product of a person’s aspiration can bring not monetary reward, but personal satisfaction of achievements in a completely new perspective, which has never been studied. The pressure on learning alive is now turned off, and people who have resigned can begin to live more free, more planned. Motivation for production is now a free choice, without fear of failure or disapproval. Be prepared to take risks. It may not always be in the comfort zone for people, but it may open new paths that lead to liveliness, bringing new freshness to his or her day. Time takes a whole new dimension. The eight-hour working day can be disposed of or expanded, no matter what the task requires. Flexibility becomes a key word in time. The quantity and quality of sleep is very important for a person who is getting older. If evening activities extend to late night hours, flexible hours allow you to sleep the next morning. However, it easily breaks when the time is not tied to a specific mooring, especially if no parameters are set for the day.
The management should help the future retiree set goals, a goal in life and a strategic plan for the future. Good to have something to get up in the morning. One of the benefits of retirement is
that you can devote more time and energy to what you think is important. For some, it may be difficult to set long-term goals. Confirm them in setting short-term retirement goals, possibly planning no more than a year in advance. This service is provided to potential retirees, helping them to anticipate the inevitable bumps on the road. Knowledge of the problem areas that may arise will help establish the ability to cope with them and, possibly, avoid crises at the end of life. As we grow older, we know that we can ever expect physical inclination and debilization. But the apostle Paul tells us not to lose heart. Although outwardly we lose consciousness, but inwardly we are updated day by day. For our bright and short-lived misfortunes reach for us eternal glory, which far outweighs all of them (2 Cor. 4: 16-17). When our physical bodies begin to seem more burdensome than blessings, as people of faith, we have the confidence that the life of Jesus is working within us so that God may be glorified. For older people it is very easy to persist in their state of health. This can be an obsession, the main topic of conversation. People can be so concerned about their health that there is little to talk about. And the more they speak, the higher the level of anxiety. Joy and satisfaction are possible even when health is fragile and declining. We do not need perfect health to be productive. There are people of all ages who have learned to live with disabilities. My mother-in-law was chained to a wheelchair 24 hours a day. However, in her 1980s, she was still extremely active, conducting Bible studies, editing a nursing home newspaper, and serving people of all ages. It was a joy to be in her presence. As Robert Seymour says in his beautiful book, Aging Without Apologies, it’s good to have health, but our obsession with health is unhealthy.
* Emotional problems in retirement years *
No less debilitating, like physical ailments, are emotional problems that arise in later life. Retirement is often considered a period of loss: loss of good health and physical strength; loss of employment, income and prestige; loss of relatives and friends through death. Grief over these losses can dominate in all aspects of human behavior to the point of complete inertia. The loss of a lifelong helper, where there were strong attachments, can be destructive. As with all casualties, a strong support group for caring people who can listen and who are limited in providing advice can help ease emotional pain. If this challenge is not properly addressed, it can turn into care, loneliness and depression.
Loneliness and depression are two of the most common emotional problems among older people. An active individual who suddenly finds himself in an environment where there are no life relationships, feels lonely and personal significance. Depression then manifests itself in many varieties. An excellent discussion of these varieties can be found in Emotional Problems in Later Life: Intervention Strategies for Persons Assisting, Second Edition, Dan Blazer, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and dean of medical education at the Duke University Medical Center. This book is a generous resource for solving all the emotional problems faced by older people. Many older people also have serious concerns about their financial situation. Will there be enough funds to care for my bills? they are asking. It is true that some of them limit old_resources, but many, if they consult correctly, can live comfortably, as long as they are reasonable in their expenses. Everyone should start making reasonable investments early in the following years. In addition, long-term insurance is reasonable in order to avoid wasting savings with expensive home care if required. Many reputable investment firms provide low-cost semiconductors and literature that can be very useful. The initial difficult time in retirement - the transition from the monthly salary to pension funds. Costs should be significantly reduced, but in creative planning, lifestyle should not change. The Christian counselor led many through the turbulent waters of the mid-life crisis. Now there is an opportunity to help an aging individual to reach a new stage of life, a stage that can bring new opportunities for satisfaction and joy. Instead of fearing the period, it can be an adventurous journey to explore new areas of activity.
* Spiritual stage *
Perhaps this stage of life should be called the stage of spirituality. This is the time during which God can do his perfect work in us, more and more forming us into the Image of His dear Son. An experienced senior has the opportunity to grow in the field of spiritual disciples, as is so acutely described in Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. It is time to reflect and reflect on the wealth of God, his greatness and glory. The most important ministry at this time of life is prayer, constant communication with the Father on behalf of others. We have been given the responsibility to tell the next generation about the laudable deeds of the Lord, his might and the miracles that he performed (Ps.78: 4). New features of this kind are currently being developed in many areas. Elder Quest is developing an institute in which college students are combined with experienced older people during intergenerational week of dialogue and communication. The peak program will be held on the campus of the Palm Beach Atlantic College in spring 2000. Elder Quest also offers incentive programs for seniors at various Christian convention centers across the country. This is not only an opportunity for Christian communication, but also a time to explore the Word of God, as well as other areas of interest. The focus on the family has just begun a new ministry to those over 50, and called it appropriately focused on the fifties. Their new publication Life Wise should be a generous resource for the elderly. As Christian counselors, let us encourage those who are in their retirement years to remain active spiritually, mentally, and physically. Let's help return the elderly person to the biblical position of honor, respect and dignity. Experienced older people will face many obstacles on their way, but even when the apostle Paul struggled with his thorn in the flesh and
He begged the Lord to take him away, the Lord replied: “My grace is sufficient for you, because My power is perfect in glory” (2 Corinthians 12: 9). The grace of God is enough for all of us, regardless of the situation. Prospective retirees and their advisers can rejoice! Best still be! Online Christian counseling is a good way to get offers.
