Here are two terms I’ve been thinking about. They are construct and deconstruct. Think about those two concepts in terms of the story you tell yourself.

All through life you are constructing a story. You deconstruct part of your story and construct a new part of the story. You first constructed a story about life with little boy thinking, then you deconstructed part of the story as your body changed and you grew. You constructed a single man story. Then you deconstructed some of your single story and constructed married man thinking as part of your story. You get the idea.

Deconstruction and construction are never clearer than when you hit this transition in your mid-40’s.

Jon Tyson, a minster who was interviewed on The Carey Nieuwhof’s Leadership Podcast, lightly touched on the topic of mid-life. Here are some of his thoughts.

In the first half of life you construct a story built on these premises:

• You will always be young.
• Your body will never change.
• You will have unlimited time and energy.
• You strive for success and accomplishment, and
• You have the dream of being the hero in a story.

Then one day in mid-life, you notice your youth is passing away. You are no longer that boundless young energetic boy. Your body is changing, hair is thinning, and you might have some physical ailments. You observe your life and marriage as just being average. There are lots of ways your big dream didn’t come true. And you are no longer the hero in any story.

Decision time

Will you panic? Run away? Will you try to return to youth, freedom, and less responsibility? Or will you construct a second half story?

The second half story includes:

• More wisdom
• Finding God in deeper places
• Greater acceptance
• Moving a little slower
• Enjoying more meaning, purpose, and joy, and
• Living a life that values significance over success.

Pay attention. If you find yourself stuck in a struggle, it may be time to construct a new part of your story.

Closing

The mission of life is to deconstruct false beliefs and construct beliefs that are consistent with God and his big eternal story.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the bible. It is a place to compare my beliefs with your teachings. Father, sometimes I do not want to deconstruct some of my old favorite beliefs. I like them. But I know you are growing me and shaping me to look like Jesus. Thanks for being patient. I love and need you and your ways. Amen.

Bible Connection

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

Paul had constructed one story as he started out on the road to Damascus. He met Jesus on that road. Paul then deconstructed his old story. He spent time with the apostles and constructed new beliefs more in harmony with God. (See Acts 9:1-31.)