Gary Miller, who serves with me in the evangelism and church revitalization office at the State Board of Missions, recently shared wisdom from Bob Russell, former pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Russell observed that as we grow older, we may no longer struggle as much with the obvious sins of the flesh — but Satan still targets us with more subtle sins of the spirit.
Here are five temptations (in descending order) senior adults often face:
5. Spiritual retirement
The temptation to step back from church involvement after retirement is real. Satan whispers, “You’ve done your part; you can relax.” There’s no retirement from following Christ. The cure? Stay engaged. Keep serving.
4. Inflexibility
Change is occurring in our world at warp speed. I get it. We don’t want our church to change; we clamor for normalcy. We must seek God in prayer — all change is not bad.
Russell shared a story about a church member who refused to install indoor plumbing. “It’s just not appropriate to do that sort of thing in the house,” this man said.
I don’t know about you, but I think indoor plumbing is appropriate and good! Likewise, some of the changes in church are not bad.
Remember, Jesus said, “You can’t put new wine into old wineskins.” May God grant us flexible hearts that accept new methodologies while remaining true to our unchanging theology.
3. Regret
Looking back, we all wish we had done things differently. But regret can paralyze us and steal today’s joy. As my friend Dorsey McDonald says, “There’s no future in the past.” Turn your failures over to Christ and move forward in grace.
2. Critical spirit
It’s easy to become negative as we get older. We grow impatient and sometimes voice our frustrations. But Philippians 4:8 challenges us to dwell on what is noble, right and praiseworthy. If we can’t say something encouraging, maybe it’s time to “bite our tongue” and pray.
1. Worry
This temptation was the top struggle Russell heard from seniors — and I can relate. The older we get, the more we tend to fret. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:25–34 that the Father knows our needs and will care for us. If you are struggling with worry, read and meditate on Matthew 6. Admittedly, I read this passage frequently.
God’s not done with you. If you’re breathing, you’re still in the battle. Don’t let age become an excuse — let it become a platform.
My dad told me shortly before he passed away, “Son, your latter days can be your greatest days.” The same advice is true for you.
Let’s overcome these senior temptations and finish our race well for the glory of Christ!
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Rob Jackson, director of evangelism and church revitalization, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
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