Recognizing Life’s Process
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
The older I get, the more valuable my life becomes. I took time for granted when I was young, but now there is only so much time to make a difference. I believe this caused me to read the article by Charles Collins entitled, “What Is Your Life Curriculum?” Collins breaks life down into four phases of life. “1. Apprenticeship: Age 14-25/The Learning Phrase. 2. Journeywork: Age 25-45/The Building Phase. 3. Masterwork: Age 45-65/The Masterpiece Phase. 4. Mentorship: Age 65-85+/The Legacy Phase.” Each of these phases in life helps define the motivation for each stage of our God-given journey.
The apprenticeship stage is self-explanatory. When we are in our teenage-early twenties, we learn who we are and mold our preparation to achieve the life we desire. The journeywork stage, through age forty-five, is also understandable. We’ve made our commitments to family, vocation, and faith by this stage. Now we build on what is important to us. The key to the first half of our life is regular evaluation. Taking wrong paths subverts the valuable building process.
The third and fourth phases of life require new tools for progress. The masterpiece stage is where we intentionally strive to achieve as many of our life goals as possible. The key is not to focus exclusively on work to the detriment of family and faith because faith and family are paramount when we get to the legacy stage. Mentorship is when we attempt to offer others our wisdom through our knowledge and available time. Mentoring is as important for us as those we wish to inspire. To make the legacy stage productive and meaningful, one must plan during the previous phases for this eventuality.
Today, recognize your place in your life curriculum. Invite God into the present stage of your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to inspire you to make the most of each step in your life’s curriculum. Value yourself enough to make plans, trusting that God will bless each stage of your journey. Remain humbly sufficient to complete each process, not only a personal celebration of self but a gift to help others find their best life curriculum. Your diligence and God’s loving care will bring your life meaning and worth.
