Work or Retire

How do you picture your senior years?

I know many people who are productive in retirement – and others who are continuing in their careers. Both find meaning and purpose in life. Retirement planning is wise, but living to retire is not. BlueTrust posted an excellent article on this subject. They suggest viewing it as the next phase of service in God’s Kingdom. Saving and planning early is essential in order to move away from income-producing work. And if you have physical limitations or you’re forced into early retirement, you’ll be grateful for the time, energy, and sacrifices made now to be prepared. Just remember, retirement is a relatively new option for many people.

The rise of savings plans and Social Security in the 1900s made it possible. Blue Trust quoted Dr. Denton Cooley, who said, “Retiring at 65 is strictly an arbitrary idea, but it sticks in so many people’s minds that they assume working after that age constitutes some kind of abuse of privilege.” Cooley, an American cardiac surgeon, performed more than 65,000 open-heart surgeries. He performed the first successful human heart transplant and didn’t retire until his 80s. Billy Graham was mentally engaged until his death at age 99. He never stopped following God’s call to serve, even though he slowed down physically.

If you’re in good health, you don’t have to retire, despite what the world may tell you. Each of us should follow God’s plan for our lives and be productive wherever we are, and if you’re struggling with no hope for the future, our budget coaching program can put you on the road to financial freedom. Go to crown.org and click “Get Help Now”. You can start today at crown.org.