Now I kind of miss it. I guess I kind of liked being needed. Does anyone really need me anymore?
It’ s not uncommon for a parent— often the mother— to struggle with an identity crisis in the early stages of the empty nest. Life looks very different now, maybe with the uncertainty of an uncharted road ahead and no GPS. It might be tempting to fill that void with activities that lessen the pain of loss: throwing ourselves into our jobs, hobbies, or even“ ministry.” But replacing the busyness of childrearing with the busyness of activities might hinder you from growth in the relationships that matter most.
So how does a married couple in the second half of life navigate their journey into the empty nest years? And how does the gospel of God’ s grace shape and sweeten their marriage as they continue their journey—
just the two of them?
Major transitions in life— such as entering the empty nest years— provide wonderful opportunities to slow down and evaluate who you are and where God might be taking you in the years ahead. Take time to prayerfully process these relationships:
Your relationship with God. Maybe you’ ve found too much of your identity in being a mom or a dad over the last twenty or thirty years. Now that you are no longer raising your own kids, you have an opportunity to reevaluate who you are— whose you are. More permanent than your role as a parent is your role as God’ s daughter or son. Now is the time to slow down and nurture your relationship with your heavenly Father. Invest time in getting to know your Father more intimately. Do you have a plan to seek God by reading his Word and praying on a daily
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