Living in Faith
The Tallest Order
Stephen Lau
The Tallest Order
Stephen Lau
Faith To Retire
by
Stephen Lau
by
Stephen Lau
There are major life events, such as graduation, marriage, having children, buying a house, retirement, and facing death and dying, among others. In each of these life-challenging events, one requires a leap of faith. Yes, you need faith to retire, among other things.
Retirement is the cessation of employment after working for a certain period of time; it is an end to a working career. There are basically three scenarios of retirement:
Retirement is the cessation of employment after working for a certain period of time; it is an end to a working career. There are basically three scenarios of retirement:
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
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| • | Happy retirement: a lifelong goal for many |
| • | Forced retirement: a consequence of old age or ill health |
| • | Semi-retirement: some sort of retirement job, usually out of choice or necessity |
No matter what, retirement is a big challenge in life that requires living in faith, among other things. When you are approaching the retirement age, the first question that pops up is: Should I retire? The next question probably is: When can I retire? Maybe a more practical third question is: Can I retire?
The First Scenario: Happy Retirement
Assuming you have the means and the luxury to retire early, consider Jesus' parable of the rich man who stores up things for himself for the future:
"The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began to reason to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' But God said to him, 'You fools! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16:21)
So, begin to reason to yourself: Does God have a retirement plan for you?
Surely, God wants you to rest.
"And He said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31)
But perhaps God has another plan for you: to keep you busy for the rest of your life. If this plan is to be fulfilled in your life through employment, volunteer or community work to help others, then you need living in faith to find out God's will for you. With faith to retire, ask God for His will regarding His future plan for you:
"Therefore I say to you, all things for which your pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." (Mark 11:24)
But how do you know if God wants what you want?
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." (James 3:17)
Does what you want to do for your retirement meet all the criteria outlined by James? Living in faith, the Word of God will show you the way.
The Second Scenario: Forced Retirement
You may find yourself in a situation in which you have no option but to retire due to old age or ill health. Worse, you may have age-related health issues and financial problems, such as medical bills. In this scenario, you all the more need living in faith to believe that God will provide for you.
"For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will wear; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!" (Luke 12:22-24)
Faith to retire means trusting God will meet your daily needs after you have retired.
The best protection against high medical cost is prevention: Are you healthy? How your feel now after you have retired, and in the years to come depends significantly on how you are going to take care of your body. Again, you need living in faith to understand the Seven Pillars of Wisdom on healthy living for a healthy lifestyle.
If you have existing health problems, you may be qualified for financial assistance to pay your medical bills from the following:
The First Scenario: Happy Retirement
Assuming you have the means and the luxury to retire early, consider Jesus' parable of the rich man who stores up things for himself for the future:
"The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began to reason to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' But God said to him, 'You fools! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16:21)
So, begin to reason to yourself: Does God have a retirement plan for you?
Surely, God wants you to rest.
"And He said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31)
But perhaps God has another plan for you: to keep you busy for the rest of your life. If this plan is to be fulfilled in your life through employment, volunteer or community work to help others, then you need living in faith to find out God's will for you. With faith to retire, ask God for His will regarding His future plan for you:
"Therefore I say to you, all things for which your pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." (Mark 11:24)
But how do you know if God wants what you want?
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." (James 3:17)
Does what you want to do for your retirement meet all the criteria outlined by James? Living in faith, the Word of God will show you the way.
The Second Scenario: Forced Retirement
You may find yourself in a situation in which you have no option but to retire due to old age or ill health. Worse, you may have age-related health issues and financial problems, such as medical bills. In this scenario, you all the more need living in faith to believe that God will provide for you.
"For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will wear; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!" (Luke 12:22-24)
Faith to retire means trusting God will meet your daily needs after you have retired.
The best protection against high medical cost is prevention: Are you healthy? How your feel now after you have retired, and in the years to come depends significantly on how you are going to take care of your body. Again, you need living in faith to understand the Seven Pillars of Wisdom on healthy living for a healthy lifestyle.
If you have existing health problems, you may be qualified for financial assistance to pay your medical bills from the following:
| • | Private foundation funding: In each state, there are several private foundation funding organizations with accessible funding resources available to the public or individuals of special needs, which may include hospital bills, medical supplies and equipment. You may get free money from these organizations. |
| • | State and regional government grants: More than 40 percent of the nation's medical bills are covered by government programs. You may be eligible for these programs. |
| • | Federal grants: Some of these federal grants are administered through regional offices. You may apply for free money through state and local agencies on aging, such as the Administration on Aging (AOA) |
The Third Scenario: Semi-Retirement
If a second career is a choice rather than a necessity, because you are a workaholic who needs self-respect, recognition, or socialization, try to choose something entirely different, something that would add spice to your life. Anything stimulating will add years to your life.
Let living in faith guide you in your volunteer work, which affords you a chance to pay back to society, a chance to be thankful that you are more fortunate than others, and a chance to meet congenial people sharing the same benevolent interest as you do.
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)
"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." (Luke 6:38)
On the other hand, if you need a second career out of necessity, go to Best Source for Flexible Jobs. With faith to retire, you will find a second career to meet your daily needs.
With faith to retire, you will want to improve yourself in your retirement through attending classes in community colleges, continuing education programs in universities. Sharpening your mind will help you gain new perspectives about your personal problems that are bound to surface as you continue to age.
With faith to retire, you will want to know more about God through His Word. Living in faith, you will want to be closer to Him as you approach closer to eternal life.
Is your retirement going to be a perpetual holiday?
Remember, man does not live on bread alone, but on the Word of God.
"But He answered and said, 'It is written MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (Matthew 4:4)
With faith to retire, make the second half of your life both meaningful and spiritual.
If a second career is a choice rather than a necessity, because you are a workaholic who needs self-respect, recognition, or socialization, try to choose something entirely different, something that would add spice to your life. Anything stimulating will add years to your life.
Let living in faith guide you in your volunteer work, which affords you a chance to pay back to society, a chance to be thankful that you are more fortunate than others, and a chance to meet congenial people sharing the same benevolent interest as you do.
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)
"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." (Luke 6:38)
On the other hand, if you need a second career out of necessity, go to Best Source for Flexible Jobs. With faith to retire, you will find a second career to meet your daily needs.
With faith to retire, you will want to improve yourself in your retirement through attending classes in community colleges, continuing education programs in universities. Sharpening your mind will help you gain new perspectives about your personal problems that are bound to surface as you continue to age.
With faith to retire, you will want to know more about God through His Word. Living in faith, you will want to be closer to Him as you approach closer to eternal life.
Is your retirement going to be a perpetual holiday?
Remember, man does not live on bread alone, but on the Word of God.
"But He answered and said, 'It is written MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (Matthew 4:4)
With faith to retire, make the second half of your life both meaningful and spiritual.
Christian Financial Freedom
a practical guide based on Biblical principles
a practical guide based on Biblical principles
