Surviving the Midlife Crisis
Posted: Monday, March 29, 2010
by Terry Scerine
For many in that midlife range comes the midlife crisis when they finally stop and look at the track they've been on and wonder if it's the right track - the track that leads to the lasting joy and ultimate fulfillment that everyone is searching for. At this point, some will stop and decide they need to make a change.
The world feeds us lies. Grand illusions. I spent the brightest and most productive of my young adult years trying to be the kind of guy the world says I'm supposed to be. Then when the dead end on that road came into focus, I could see that it was leading me to nothing but emptiness.
They spend their whole lives searching and never finding, trying this and pursuing that, beating around the bush and living on the outskirts, unwittingly doing everything they can to avoid the one exact thing they're searching for!
At the bottom of the pit of desperation in my early midlife crisis at 32, saturated in all the self-indulgences of excessive materialism, womanizing and free sex, bars, partying, severe drug abuse, and pornography that all left me more empty than ever, chasing all that crap I had been led to believe was so cool and finding that it was all a grand deception, I gave up and surrendered. I cried out to God to either take my life or take it over!
And He took it over supernaturally, right then and there, and began to wash me clean of all the filthy muck I had immersed myself in for so long. If I told you what happened to me that night, you wouldn't believe me. It's said that "God doesn't clean His fish till He catches them." And I'm living proof that He picked me up and cleaned me up! I didn't do it by my own willpower. I didn't even realize it was happening until afterwards. I was rescued!
There's only one truth about all things. There cannot be more than one. It's not "Whatever you wanna believe is okay for you, man, as long as you believe in something." Truth is not relative and subjective.
Most of us already know that all goodness and truth, and all things wonderful and beautiful (including you) originated from God our Creator. And that's the truth.
I figure, why not go right to the source rather than speculating around the outskirts? Why dwell on the effects when you can go straight to the cause? I derive the truth from God's Word, the Bible.
And the truth, according to the Bible, is that without Christ as one's personal Lord and Savior, without a very real and personal relationship with Him, everyone will eventually come to another dead-end on whatever road they're on in life. All other roads lead to the same empty dead end. Why waste a whole precious life down any other road?
And then we have eternity to consider after this life is over, too. This life is only a flash in the pan compared to eternity. Do you know for certain where you will be spending yours? You CAN know. I know where I'll be after my life here ends because I know the Truth in the scriptures very well, and I can hardly wait!
Love is the only reality in this world, the only thing that can ever survive. And Jesus Christ is the Source, the epitome, the top dog, the definitive Expert and the perfect Counselor on love, and He is also the all-powerful Creator and Master of the whole universe.
That's reality. He's not Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. He isn't some pie-in-the-sky fairy tale. Jesus is very real and very alive and very awesome, the superhero of all superheroes, the mighty victorious warrior in the greatest battle of all time.
Maybe you'd say that you believe in Him already. But are you sure? Satan also believes ABOUT Jesus, but his fate is sealed in the lake of fire (in Revelation) and contrary to popular belief it ain't gonna be no party.
It takes more than believing about Jesus. Many believe about Him. It takes a decision to surrender your heart and life to Him. It takes a simple but sincere, once and for all plea to Him to be your Lord and Savior. A simple but sincere prayer. AND THAT'S ALL IT TAKES! It takes recognizing Him as Lord of all lords, and loving Him like no other and trusting Him and only Him for your life and in your life.
Have you ever read the Gospels, really read them? The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the four stories of the life of Jesus? They're jam-packed with truth and reality!
All else in this world apart from a real, surrendered faith in Him eventually leads to nothing. All else is empty. All else is vanity, nothing, nowhere, neverland. I guarantee it.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)thanks Terry - it just occurred to me that we eventually get over mid-life crisis - if we live we get over it because we grow beyond it (in years) My odometer is about to turn over AGAIN (in 10 days) and I wouldn't have it any other way! How else could I retire and WRITE!? GRIN
Awesome article. Terry always, and I mean alwats, ells it like it is, with a heartfelt concern for the unsaved, and those saved, but searching for a deeper understanding and relationship with our Lord. Thank you Terry!P.S. I just finished re-reading your book, and loved it even more!!
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