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A favorite Bible passage of mine is
Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me." Paul writes that he learned how to
be content. For some of His people, God provides
contentment in a care facility through spiritual
learning.
A retired Presbyterian minister by
the name of Richard Morgan wrote Settling In, My
First Year in a Retirement Community. Morgan moved
into Redstone Highlands retirement community in
Pennsylvania. In this facility with different levels of
care, Morgan could still take trips in his car and was
able to leave the apartment he lived in at will. Though
it was a less- restrictive setting, it was still hard
for him to adjust to it.
Morgan recounts the stages he went
through when he entered the care facility. First, there
was the euphoric fantasy of a care-free life. When the
newness wore off, he became depressed over what all he
had given up in his move. Only after significant
struggle and only after the awakening of love for his
fellow residents was he able to "do all things through
Christ" who strengthened him. The fact that Morgan went
through a yearlong spiritual learning experience is what
struck me as I read his book.
Morgan explains that he had to rely
on God’s love in Christ and learn to love and serve his
fellow residents. Then he learned contentment. The care
facility became his home. His fellow residents became
his community and his work.
Can I be so bold as to say that the
first months after we make a similar move, some of us
may have to work hard at becoming stewards of God’s
Gospel in our care facility. For some of us, it may be
hard work to depend on God’s love in Christ and learn
how to share the Gospel of Jesus with our fellow
residents. Our assurance is that our labors are not in
vain in the risen Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). In Christ ,we can
learn to be content when we transition to a care
facility.
Reading Morgan’s book makes you
realize on a very personal level the pain you can go
through when you must get rid of most of the material
possessions you have accumulated, leave your community,
leave your friends, lose independence, and move into a
care facility. However, reading Morgan’s book makes you
realize on a very personal level you don’t have to be
afraid. Morgan’s book has a very happy ending. God
teaches Morgan contentment.
In Christ, through hardships, God
teaches contentment. In a house move many of us prefer
to not even think about, God’s Word abides. "I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Submitted by
Dennis Angland
pastoral adviser to the Iowa District West Older Adult
Ministry Committee |
