You've been doing the same type of work for many years and you can hardly wait for retirement. Throughout your career you've only taken one or two week vacations when you wanted to relieve stress, but now you want a lot longer than the vacation time allotted to you because you can feel a restlessness and possibly dissatisfaction toward the work, environment, or atmosphere.
Scripture gives numerous lessons on the responsibility to work and its value throughout one’s life. It seems, you'll find only one scriptural situation that speaks of something akin to retirement. The Levites were to retire from being primary workers in the service of the tabernacle, yet it is suggested that they continue to assist their brothers in the service of the tent of meetings. There is no indication that retirement meant that they sit around for the rest of their lives doing nothing or only looking to please themselves.
As a Christian, you have a godly mission to support and be an active participant in, no matter what your age or bodily condition. Christians never retire from serving in the Great Commission even though they may retire from a career path in which they served in this world or move from a long-time ministry that they’ve been involved with. First of all, you should do your work (career, ministry, etc.) as unto the LORD. He will bless and reward you for your labor, diligence, and faithfulness and the blessing and reward may show up on earth via many different avenues (employers, customers, well-wishers, donations, gifts, ravens, manna from Heaven, etc.).
What you long for is not a time of doing nothing or doing only what pleases you. Rather, the longing in your heart is leading you toward another area of service that God created and equipped you to do. It could be wholly different than the arena you’re leaving or it could piggyback off of the skills, platform, or network you devoted prior years to. Talking and listening to the LORD and following His heart will determine the service (work) you should engage in this refirement period. Could be in another arena traditionally considered secular or something that seems more spiritual. Remember, whatever legitimate service you do pleases Him when you make His will and way the priority of your life and seek to glorify Him through it.
Looking forward to God’s next step for you is something to look forward to and not to fear or despise. It may be wise to take an extended time (months) between the work from which you retire and the area of service you will engage to a greater degree in the future. Just make sure it’s not so long that you fall into slothfulness because this will bring unfruitfulness and ruin. When you retire with God’s will in mind, you’ll be able to have peace, joy, and needed rest in a way that refires you and brings fulfillment to your life.
Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Genesis 1:28, Numbers 8:24-26, Proverbs 10:4-5, Acts 20:32-35, 2Thessalonians 3:6-12
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