What is God Calling You Toward in Retirement?
Wisdom about work is plentiful in the Bible. Scholars estimate there are around 500 verses that directly or indirectly address work and related themes like diligence, craftsmanship, service, and stewardship. There are also references to hundreds of occupations throughout the Bible―fisherman, tax collectors, physicians, and Jesus’ work as a carpenter.
Do you know which topic doesn’t get much attention in the Bible? Retiring from work. In fact, the Bible tells us many key figures―including the apostle John―continued to spread the Good News well into their 80s and 90s.
It’s not surprising that retirement is not covered in Scripture. This concept, as we know it today, is relatively new, gaining popularity since the mid-20th century amid the rise of retirement savings plans, Social Security, and other investment products that make it easier to replace a paycheck late in life.
Americans tend to view retirement as the goal of working, the ultimate reward. We’re told that by a certain age, we should stop working and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Our work is done. But is that what we’re called to do?
The Bible doesn’t say we’re supposed to quit producing good fruit. And if we stop “working” when the world tells us we should, how much fruit do we miss out on producing if we live another 10, 20, or even 30 years?
Consider Billy Graham. In 1939, he was ordained at the age of 21. His public ministry took off a decade later, when he led the Los Angeles Crusade at the age of 30. By the time he was 65, Graham had enjoyed a nearly 40-year career and fueled the faith of thousands.
Graham could have easily retreated from his public life altogether in his mid-60s or early 70s, having already impacted so many lives and made an eternal impact. Instead, he continued to preach and write. His final book, Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well, was published in 2011 when he was 92 years old. Although his health prevented him from public preaching in his final years, he continued to counsel political and religious leaders. He stayed engaged in his ministry right up until his death at age 99.
For Graham, the thought of retirement was inconceivable because he knew that there were still so many people to reach. Even as he aged and his health declined, he changed the way he worked and how much―but he never stopped following God’s call to serve.
What if, like Graham, we begin to view our later years as an opportunity to work in new and different ways?
At Blue Trust, we don’t view retirement as an end but as a beginning. It’s the start of the next phase of your service in God’s Kingdom. For many, “working” in retirement may not even feel like work, especially if you’re using your years of experience, God-given talents, and saved resources to serve His Kingdom. This work may look like:
- Mentoring younger generations personally, professionally, and spiritually
- Providing financial support to charitable causes and Christian organizations
- Taking mission trips to underserved areas around the country or abroad
- Leading church groups or teaching in a ministry
- Volunteering with local outreach groups
- Becoming a prayer partner for your church
- Writing devotionals, articles, or books sharing your expertise or faith journey
Some people may even decide not to retire at a typical retirement age because their work is still fulfilling and they’re still making a difference and impacting others. For example, Denton Cooley was an American cardiac surgeon. During his more than 60-year career, he performed over 65,000 open-heart surgeries, including the first successful human heart transplant in 1968. Cooley was well into his 80s before he retired, and at age 74, he 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.”
For those who choose to pivot away from their primary careers, saving and planning now is a way of supporting continued work later. Faithful investing and financial stewardship can provide you with the opportunity to move your focus (and energy) away from income-producing work to Kingdom-serving work. It may also allow you to continue your work in different ways when physical labor is no longer possible.
To plan effectively, ask yourself some questions about what you want from your retirement:
- Is your current occupation fulfilling, and would you want to continue in some capacity?
- Do you have enough money saved to provide for yourself and your dependents if you’re no longer earning a full-time income?
- How will you use your time and resources in retirement to do God’s work?
- What is God’s call on your life in your later years?
As you ponder your next chapter, we encourage you to be intentional and purposeful but open and attuned to opportunities and God’s nudging. Whether you envision spending more time investing in the next generation, supporting missions, or finding new ways to use your God-given talents, our team is highly skilled at helping you create a retirement plan aligned with biblical principles and your goals.
Contact Blue Trust today to begin a conversation about how faithful financial stewardship can empower your continued service in God’s Kingdom. Together, let’s plan for a retirement that isn’t defined by what you’re leaving behind, but by what God is calling you toward.
Related Resources:
- How to Have a Fulfilling Retirement
- Charting the Course to a Purposeful Retirement & Retirement Checklist
- How Much is Enough?