We think transformation will be quick, and sometimes it is. But generally speaking, God isn’t in a rush. There’s a certain kind of holiness and beauty that develops only after decades of walking with God. You can’t microwave it. But when you see it, it’s a beautiful thing.

Take a look at your body right now.

Unless you’re really young, you probably see signs of decay. Our bodies start the process of aging and decline at a cellular level well before we notice any significant changes.

Generally, this process begins in our late 20s to early 30s. During this time, the body’s ability to repair and regenerate cells starts to decrease gradually. The rate of decline differs based on genetics, lifestyle, and overall health, but it impacts everyone.

Eventually, your skin will change. Your hair may thin or turn gray, or it may even fall out. Your muscle mass and strength will decrease. Your vision and hearing will decline. You will experience cognitive changes and more.

As the saying goes, “Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.” It’s inevitable.

You will not only experience physical decline. Arthur Brooks writes about other kinds of decline that will take place:

Unless you follow the James Dean formula — “Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse”—you know that your professional, physical, and mental decline is inevitable. You probably just think it’s a long, long way off….

…in practically every high-skill profession, decline sets in sometime between one’s late thirties and early fifties.

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