Menopausal Mondays series no. 1 - "Be moderate and gentle"

Be moderate and gentle to those around you, the message my pastor preached the other Sunday. 

Good message yes, but what, as he repeated that phrase over and over, was I thinking of?

This is new ground for me, I am not given to talking about “women’s things” however this phase of life has brought such sudden and unexpected changes it is time to voice up and if it helps you walk through this or empathise with a sister going though it then that is great but giving voice to it will certainly help me! Maybe we can help each other along the way.

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Philippians 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Does even God understand the menopause?

Those verses right there!

Gentleness - when mood swings right then left and lands a sucker punch to the centre.

Don’t be anxious - when anxiety swamps and panic invades, and memory fades.

Pray - when I can’t think of the words I want to say?

And it all comes out of nowhere. Really!

Does God know what I am going through right now! Does He even understand? 

I never thought about menopause until it hit me like a tidal wave.

This much I know, if you are a woman sooner or later as sure as the tide ebbs and flows that wave will come crashing over you if it hasn’t already.

Of course, each of us are unique and the way it affects us will differ somewhat but for many the signs are instantly recognizable: hot flushes, weight gain, unwanted facial hair to name a few. It can come with serious mood swings, anxiety, inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, sleeplessness, migraines, increased risk of heart problems and osteoporosis. In a nutshell. It affects us physically and mentally, it affects the whole woman - body and mind - and that, ladies, impacts upon our spiritual lives.

Hot? Let's cool down.

Photo courtesy flickr.com

Photo courtesy Flickr.com

It sounds rather grim doesn’t it? It feels miserable too when your pastor has preached about being moderate and gentle and on returning home from church full of gentleness and then, suddenly, you rage uncontrollably because the dishes weren’t done while you were out.

Failed, right there,

Failure,

add that to the menopausal list.

You might feel the pastor and God weren’t accounting for menopausal women in the congregation as you burst into tears for no real reason again! 

So, what can we women do? 

It is important to remember that God created us in His image. Girls, it wasn’t just man He made in His image but, us women, we too were created in His likeness. He created our physical attributes and our aging is all part of the process, part of His design.

Wow, in His likeness!

It may feel like He doesn’t understand but when we get to the nub of the truth we can see that He must understand for this is how He made us. Perhaps in a crazy way this weakness in our bodies, discomforting as it may be, leaves us with no option but to lean on Him and rely on His strength in ways we never did before - as a woman who was strong for her children, her family and as women who not only manage the home but manage careers as well.

We are told in Philippians 1: 6 that God will complete that which he started in us and menopause is not about to get in His way.

This is going to be one crazy season of life we are embarked upon. I think in some ways it will be like getting to know myself better as I get to know God in ways I haven’t needed Him before.

photo courtesy flikr.com

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