Your problem isn’t unusual; almost every week I get at least one letter from someone (or their spouse) who has retired recently, and suddenly they feel useless, bored, frustrated—or even angry. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The key is to ask one simple question: What does God have in store for me during this stage of my life? In other words, what is God’s will for my retirement years? Does He want me to spend my time doing nothing—or does He have something new for me to do? After all, God hasn’t abandoned you; He still loves you and still has a purpose for every day of your life. It may involve something different than what you’ve done in the past—but it can be just as fulfilling as anything you’ve ever done.

Most people ask themselves, “What do I want to do when I retire?” It’s not necessarily wrong to ask that, of course; God wants to give good things to us if our hearts are right. The Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

But the real question should be, “What does God want me to do when I retire?” Make sure of your relationship to Christ. Then ask Him to guide you and your husband, and to open the door to some new opportunity to serve Him—in your church, your community, or even overseas.