By 2 Corinthians is a book written by an elderly missionary. He has been through many difficult times, and writes 2 Corinthians to offer some sage advice to some of those who had been the cause of much of his trouble in his earlier years as a missionary. Although not everyone is capable of becoming a missionary when they retire, every one of us can imitate the more personal goals of Paul the older missionary.
In the midst of some specific-missionary items, Paul exposes what his more personal-mission items are as an older godly man. In 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10 Paul gives us what we can easily adopt as our own Mission for Getting Older.
I will remember that Jesus is the treasure, and I’m just an instrument (2 Cor 4:7).
I will endure suffering so I can keep telling people about Jesus (2 Cor 4:8-12).
I will believe in the resurrection of Jesus so that I too will be raised with all the other saints (2 Cor 4:13-14).
I will look at future glory and be an instrument of grace and thankfulness to others, instead of looking at my present sufferings and grumbling to others (2 Cor 4:15-18).
I will face every day with courage because of what lies ahead, more than I groan because of my present condition (2 Cor 5:1-7).
I will aim to please God in every moment on this earth no matter how much I long to be in Heaven instead (2 Cor 5:8-10).
If you can retire at age fifty and remain physically and mentally strong until a hundred, then embrace the full missionary zeal of the Apostle Paul. But if you get old in the more common ways of losing your physical vitality and struggling with continual trials, then you can still adopt as your own this Mission for Getting Older.