Mission For the Dragging or Discouraged Older Men

[Part 2 of the series: Mission for Men. Read Part 1 "How Young Men Find God-Given Purpose".]

Christ's redemption means your mission is not finished yet.

I have thought much about mission for young men and believe I have some experience there. I do not know if I am wise enough to give practical advice to older men, so I will instead try to encourage older men in their missions. Many older men face dangers of passivity or discouragement, and need reminded of Christ’s redeeming work in their lives in order to persevere in their missions.

We know that one of the greatest dangers facing older men is to become inactive or lose their edge later in life. Coasting late in life exposes men to danger and removes them as a source of strength for the church. I would therefore encourage every older man to keep at his mission. If you are retired, you haven’t finished your mission; it has only changed. The Lord is not done getting glory through you, and we young men still need you (Titus 2).

What about older men who fear they have sinned too grievously?

Have you ruined your reputation? Have you wasted too much time? Have you failed those who needed you? 

It is easy to become discouraged by our sins. However, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1 John). More than that, He can still write a good ending out of our failure. You may have failed, but Christ redeems us with grace that restores us, making us useful again.

Remember, your mission is about God using you to increase His glory. God accepts you through the success of Christ’s mission, so you can both admit your sin and express gratitude for the mercy of God in your life. 

There can be serious consequences when a man gets his mission wrong. Pain may remain, relationships may stay broken, and opportunities remain lost. However, the Judge of the universe does not condemn you. God remakes men through failure.

Think of David, Samson, Peter – there are many examples of men who felt the shame of sin, repented, and were mercifully restored by God. Therefore, I would encourage you to believe that God has forgiven you and that you still have a purpose. With God is ‘plentiful redemption’ (Ps 130:7), which restores our hope and enables us to live with renewed mission.

What purpose could you still have?

For one, the young men coming behind you need your wisdom. Warn them how to avoid your mistakes. Teach them the lessons you’ve learned.

Our church needs older men to be present for the young men. Another way you can yet give glory to God is to say, “Yes, I have sinned, but God demonstrates His love in that He saves a man even like me.”

So whether you are a dragging older man, or a discouraged older man, I would encourage you to be assured of Christ’s redemption, remember your work is not finished yet, and find a mission for the people who still need you.

See part one of Chris's series Mission for Men: How Young Men Find God-Given Purpose