Did you know that the longest tennis match in history lasted more than eleven hours and scored a combined total of nine hundred and eighty points?
It took place over three days in 2010 at Wimbledon, England between John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut from France. Racking up nearly one thousand points, neither player could break the other’s serve. It required hours of mental concentration and physical stamina by both competitors to keep the ball in play without giving away any advantage.
Isner finally won with a simple backhand stroke down the line that Mahut could not return. It became a worldwide story for the length and intensity of the game.
As I read that story I couldn’t help but draw a few comparisons to those of us on the midlife and beyond journey:
- Rigorous journey– The Pew Research Center found that for most people, middle age is the most demanding and stressful time of life. That fact might come as a surprise.
- Long-term challenge– For many, the difficulties faced are long-term in nature. Aging parents require more care and adult children are struggling to get on their own. Marital issues can also crowd in that have been deferred for years while the children were around.
- Progress hard to measure– These years require an unexpected amount of effort to keep our personal, family and professional lives going in the right direction. Even with the added effort we might not see the results we hoped for.
Fortunately, God is taking the journey with us. He is very involved is all we are doing even though He often travels incognito.
Here are some reminders from the Lord when your life feels like a never-ending tennis match:
- I am with you, you’re not alone – “Do not fear for I am with you.” (Isa. 41:10)
- I am going to help you– “I will hold you by the hand and watch over you.” (Isa. 42:5)
- I will give you the strength you need– “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.” (Isa. 40:31)
- I will carry you for the rest of your life– “Even to your graying years I shall bear you!” (Isa. 46:4)
- I can overcome any difficulty– “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jer. 32:27)
As you hold on to God’s promises for the future, you may be shocked at how some challenges will get resolved just like that simple backhand stroke after hours of play. It just took a lot longer than you expected.
Do you agree with the Pew Research Center that stated the midlife years are the most demanding and stressful for people?
Are there any topics you’d like this blog to address about the midlife and beyond season?
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