Living in this
chaotic material world has much to do with order,
which is a basic principle of the universe, without which chaos develops. To
live well, you need to get your life in order; that is, you must align yourself
with the principles of the universe. The first and foremost principle of the
universe is alignment with the Creator of the universe. Once you have that
alignment, you get faith that gives you spiritual strength.
Research studies
have shown that people with a religious belief tend to get sick less often and
get better faster than those with much less religious faith. Dr.
Herbert Benson (Harvard
Medical School )
attributes this to the faith factor in his book Beyond
the Relaxation.
Faith gives you
peace of mind, which plays a pivotal role in longevity because peace of mind is
the antidote to stress that often shortens life. To live longer, you need to
de-stress yourself. But life is never easy, and living in this modern world is always
challenging and stressful.
To have faith in
God is another aspect of living that may eliminate much stress in everyday
life. However, living for a Christian; just like any other non-believer, you
face the same challenge along your life journey. The only difference is that
with faith you may transcend the limitations and losses that inevitably come
with old age, as well as the difficulties and disappointments encountered in
everyday life struggle. “All things work together for good to those who love
God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.” Your life becomes
purposeful, and living, despite its many setbacks, has a divine goal. Faith may
help you overcome the many tragedies that may come with life and old age.
If you have faith,
you live longer. The reason is simple: you take better care of your body
because: your body is the temple
of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
If you have faith,
you most probably belong to a church, and you may enjoy fellowship with
other like-minded believers. Fellowship plays a pivotal role in alleviating
loneliness, which is a serious problem among the elderly. Albert Einstein
had to say about loneliness: “It’s strange to be known universally, and yet to
be so lonely. St. Augustine
wrote in his classic work The Confessions of St. Augustine, “You have
made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find peace in
You.”
If you are a
believer, most probably you also actively involved in church activities after
your retirement. Involvement with people with all ages holds the key to
successful aging because you express your compassion and loving-kindness to
others. By doing so, you also develop empathy, which is experiencing the
feelings and emotions of others; in the process; you learn to appreciate what
you have, and make the most of what you have left to help others.
TAO The Way to Biblical Wisdom: This book is about using human wisdom to understand God’s wisdom so
that you may live in this material world as if everything is a miracle.
The Book of Life and Living shows you the
blueprint of living in this material world based on the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu (an ancient sage from China ),
conventional wisdom, and spiritual wisdom, so that you may become better, happier, and wiser.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
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