What comes to your mind when you hear the word “retirement”? The word comes from the verb retire, which means “to go to sleep”. But most of us don’t plan to spend our retirement sleeping all day.
Most people think of retirement in terms of work. The dictionary definition is “to withdraw from one’s position or occupation; to conclude one’s working or professional career.”
But retirement is more complicated than that. I know people who retire from a career and start another which may be vastly different. Some people retire only to take a part-time job from boredom or financial necessity. Some retirees become so involved in volunteer work, they are busier than when they had a paying job.
Retirement can give you time to seriously pursue a hobby or skill, or advanced education. And who doesn’t look forward to the opportunity to travel, visit family, and explore the world?
We may find ill health, disability, or advanced age makes working full-time or even part-time impossible. Sometimes unexpectedly, people find themselves assuming the role of caregiver in retirement, for a spouse, parent, child, or grandchild.
In other words, everyone’s retirement looks different, each is unique.
My friend Ric Shields invited me to be a guest on a podcast series to talk about the questions that really matter when it comes to retirement.
Whether retirement is still years away, you’re getting ready for it, or you’re already a seasoned retiree, this series has something for you. We’ll explore how to plan, prepare, and thrive in whatever season of life you’re in.
- How do you know when you’re ready to retire?
- Can you actually afford to retire?
- What happens to your sense of purpose and identity when work is no longer at the center of your life?
- Where should you live, and what do you want to leave behind for the people you love?
The series also covers navigating family responsibilities, finding purpose in your next chapter, and protecting yourself and your family from the people who try to take advantage of older adults.
It’s about more than retirement. It’s about making the most of what comes next. Because getting older doesn’t mean your purpose is behind you.
You can access all the episodes at this link, and I will post them here on the blog and on Facebook. I hope you will share them widely.
In my episode, Ric and I discuss the HEART of purpose in retirement. It airs in two weeks.
Listen here as Ric introduces the series.
Prepare
Before you listen to any of the podcast episodes, take time to think about what retirement means to you now.
If you are already retired, how is it going? What do you like about it? What would you want to change?
If you aren’t retired, what thoughts or plans have you made about the future? What fears do you have? What goals do you have?
Keep these thoughts in mind as we walk through this series together. Remember, on this blog we find information and inspiration to learn, plan, prepare, and thrive through life’s challenges.
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*Rhapsody Of Realities Daily Devotional*
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc DSc DD
_Thursday, October 15th 2026_
*THE REALITY OF CHRISTIANITY*
_*📖But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17).*_
In our previous study, we reviewed what it means to give your life to Christ. It means much more than merely “surrendering” your life to God. This understanding is important because many people still interpret salvation as the act of “surrendering” themselves to God. But Christianity is far more than that.
When a woman gets married, she doesn’t merely surrender herself to her husband. She identifies with him. She comes into his home, takes his name, and becomes one with him. In much the same way, when you gave your life to Christ, you were brought into union with Him. You became a partaker of His life.
This is why the Bible says, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17). It’s for the same reason it tells us we’re associates of the God- kind: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…” (2 Peter 1:4).
Don’t view Christianity through the lens of religion. The Lord Jesus didn’t come merely to improve your conduct or introduce you to a new religious system. He came to give us the God-life. God’s own nature has been imparted to your spirit. This is the essence of the New Birth and beauty of the Gospel. The divine life has supplanted the human life.
You’ve become one with the Lord in a living and inseparable relationship. His victory is your victory. His righteousness is your righteousness. His life is now yourlife. Walk in the consciousness of this divine union. You’re not “following” Christ from a distance; you’re in Him, and He is in you. That’s the reality of Christianity.
PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for the divine life you’ve imparted to my spirit and my inseparable union with you through Christ. I walk in the consciousness of this union, manifesting the life, wisdom, righteousness, and glory of Christ to my world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
📚FURTHER STUDY:
Galatians 2:20; John 10:10; 2 Peter 1:4
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 & Isaiah 61-63
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Hebrews 7:1-10 & Ezekiel 10-11
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