For the past eleven years, I have made it a habit to write reflections on my birthday. Sometimes they take the form of prayers. Other times they are lessons learned along the way. Today is no different. These are some of the lessons that growing older has impressed upon me. As you read, see whether they resonate with your own experience.

Age has a way of maturing us. Time tempers ambition. It forces us to be realistic. Successes and failures become teachers no classroom can match. We learn what we are capable of. And just as importantly, what we are not.

By midlife and beyond, one gains practical wisdom. You begin to see through appearances. You separate substance from noise. You even discern character more clearly. You learn to distinguish what is genuinely formative from what is merely motivational nonsense.

Many of these lessons can be grouped under a few themes. Conveniently, they all begin with the letter P.

1. Providence Matters

Providence is the preservation, superintendence, and purposeful direction of all things by God. It is the divine governance by which events—ordinary and extraordinary—are woven together to accomplish God’s purposes.

None of us chose where or when we were born, nor the families into which we arrived. Scripture reminds us that God “determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). Our times, seasons, and environments shape us far more than we often acknowledge.

Warren Buffett has famously attributed much of his success to being born in the right country, to the right parents, at the right time. That is providence. Our paths, too, are providential. Like Esther, we may well have come to our place “for such a time as this.”

I was born in Zambia at a particular time, with certain abilities and privileges others did not have. You, too, have your own distinct circumstances and advantages. Purpose is often discovered when we rightly understand our times and make faithful use of them.

This reality should cultivate humility, not passivity. Providence is never an excuse for inaction. Rather, it calls us to steward our circumstances wisely, seeking the Lord as He opens and closes doors and leads us through different seasons of life.

2. Precepts Matters

Yet as important as providence is, the precepts of God matter more. “The secret things belong to the LORD… but the things that are revealed belong to us” (Deut. 29:29).

Our responsibility is not to interpret circumstances like omens, but to obey what God has clearly revealed. We are commanded to sow, to work diligently, to act faithfully—and to leave the outcomes with God.

Not every open door should be walked through. An opportunity that violates moral convictions is not validated simply because it appears providential. God’s Word, not circumstance, is our primary guide.

We anchor our lives in the precepts of Scripture. We act with courage and diligence, pursue our calling faithfully, and trust God with the results.

3. Proactivity Matters

Maturity allows us to hold complementary truths together. God is sovereign—and we are responsible.

In light of both providence and precept, we are called to be proactive. Proactivity means acting with foresight rather than merely reacting. It means making decisions shaped by values, not impulses.

Joseph understood this well. He could not control the coming famine, but he prepared for it. He saved during the years of plenty so that many would live during the years of scarcity. Providence revealed the future; proactivity shaped the response.

So move forward. Decide. Act.

4. Patience Matters

One lesson time teaches relentlessly is that progress cannot be rushed. We cannot cheat time.

Every generation is tempted by the promise of rapid gain. Scripture consistently warns against this impulse. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Prov. 21:5).

Patience is not inactivity. It is steady, disciplined effort over time. Progress is usually incremental—little by little. I struggle with this truth myself, but it remains true nonetheless.

5. Processes Matters

Goals are important, but systems are decisive. Goals achieve milestones; processes sustain progress.

Healthy systems make achievement repeatable. Just as the body functions through interconnected systems, our lives require rhythms and structures.

Spiritual growth requires regular habits of prayer, Scripture, fellowship, and teaching. Strong marriages require intentional communication and shared time. Financial stability requires earning, restraint, saving, investing, and generosity.

Build systems that quietly but consistently move you toward the outcomes you desire.

6. Perspective Matters

A hopeful perspective carries people further than perpetual negativity. Those with a grounded outlook see opportunity where others see obstacles, trusting that God works all things together for good.

7. Perseverance Matters

Perseverance, then, is simply refusing to grow weary in doing good. Keep going. Walk if you can. Crawl if you must. But do not stop.

Conclusion

These are some of the lessons I have learned so far. I hope they prompt reflection.

What are the things you have come to know that truly matter in this life? I would be interested to hear your list.

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