One of my favorite songs is Dear Younger Me, by MercyMe. The lyrics are written as if an older person is giving advice to a younger self. There are the “if I knew then what I know now” concepts that the younger self could have applied back then to make life easier.
However, my problem is that I tend to get amnesia. The reason it feels the bottom is dropping out is not because of decisions I’ve made in the past, but because I let the current circumstances override the truths I knew to be true in the past. So I reversed the lyrics…
Dear Older Me…
You may not know exactly what God has in store for you right now, but that’s okay. You’ve been here before. Remember when you realized that retirement was looming on the horizon and you had no idea what you’d do?Teaching wasn’t just your spiritual gift, but a natural talent and something you loved with all your heart. Your friends couldn’t even imagine life for you without teaching.
You had no idea what would happen next or what you were to do, but you prayed. So you were right where God wanted you. You decided to act on what He’d been showing you. He even sent you to the Bible study, Breath, and gave you an Oholiab to walk alongside you. You trusted Him then. Don’t give up now. He’s still right there ready to guide you. Pray and then walk in faith and obedience.
Dear Older Me…
I know things are tight and you’re not sure how you’ll be able to make ends meet. Remember the summer before your senior year in high school and you served as the translator for that church from Texas? As a result of spending that week with them, the pastor offered to pay for your college education. You had a full ride for four years.
So you had to make a choice…go to Texas A&M with all expenses paid or go to Columbia Bible College with no expenses paid. That didn’t take a rocket scientist. No, it took faith. You chose Columbia Bible College knowing that all your missionary parents could contribute to your college education was the $75 application fee.
But God raised up other grants and scholarships to cover your expenses. You didn’t even have to take out a student loan until your senior year. The same God who was faithful back then and so many other times after college, is the same God who will provide for you now.
Dear Older Me…
I know you’re suffering. And I know you feel like you’re all alone. Let me remind you that you’ve been there and done that so many times throughout the years. And you weren’t alone either.
Bet you forgot about all those times your back would lock up on you. Once after faculty meeting, you thought you’d have to wait alone, but your friend Margaret who lived in the neighborhood, brought you a heating pad and music to reduce your stress level. And I remember the hour plus that Sandra sat with you at the pizza place when your back locked up after Bible study.
Always remember that you still have prayer warriors who faithfully lift you before your Heavenly Father. And there are those who are ready and willing to help if you let them know you need the help. Trust God to direct you to them.
And don’t forget about the times help came when you didn’t ask. Like when Alberta called to say she was on the way to your house with groceries or when Pam insisted on bringing you dinner and with it brought strawberries, something you’d been craving. Desiree didn’t even ask. When she realized why you missed Bible study, not only did she drive to your house that night to drop off your BSF lesson, but brought a basin with Epsom salts as well.
But the important thing to remember is that this pain, this suffering, you’re going through is not the end. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but God is working.
Dear Older Me…
Basically nothing that you are facing now or will face in the future is new. You’ve been here before. God was faithful to the younger you and He will be faithful now. Just like He had Moses tell Joshua when it was time to for him to lead the children of Israel into the Promise Land, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB)
Your turn. Is there something you wish you had known coming up that would have made some life lesson a little easier to learn? Or maybe you’re like me and you need to remind yourself of how God has worked in your past so you do not get overwhelmed with your present situation. Dear younger me or dear older me?
Dear Younger Me by MercyMe – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l70C3ePyIQ
FROM THE ROLLER COASTER 