Turning 30

Turning 30 for most of us is a huge deal and mostly fills us with anxiety about the future. This was same for me for a long while. Fortunately, now my mind set towards turning 30 has changed. It’s no more filled with the anxiety, pressure associated with that age or the internal and external expectations. It is rather filled with a new found hope and trust in God’s leading as I surrender my life to Him and He leads the way. Today we look at a few key people in the bible and their lives as they turned 30 and how we can also approach this stage in our lives. If you are yet to or are already past the age of 30, this is still for you so don’t miss out.

In Genesis 41:46, the bible explicitly mentions that, “'Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 'Genesis 41:46. I always say that nothing mentioned in the bible is mentioned for mentioning sake. It was important for us to know that Joseph became second in command to Pharaoh at 30 years after being betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, being falsely accused in Potiphar’s house and going to jail. Whenever I read about Joseph in the bible, I learn so much about his trust in God, his patience and diligence wherever he found himself. He had received a promise from God through his dreams from childhood. A promise which showed him as superior to everyone around him but thereafter there seemed to be one problem, betrayal or retrogression after the other.

Our lives may be similar to this, we may have received a prophecy about a blessing coming our way and or believed the promises of God concerning our lives but nothing has happened and like Joseph, there may be one problem or the other chasing us since childhood. Today I want to encourage us all that our faith in God gives us the right and access to a better future, a better turn of events in our lives that we should look forward to no matter the age we are turning. I speak about turning 30 because when I saw how Joseph’s life turned around when he turned 30, I saw how possible it was to have same, i.e. a better life path before or at my 30th and I attached a different kind of importance to this age. Whereas initially, it was all about what I could do within my own might to be successful at 30, giving myself unnecessary pressure for my 30th birthday, I rather placed all I wanted to see and expectations in line with God’s promises at the feet of God. I removed the burden from myself to God because really, what is the extent of my strength alone. As we pray for success and blessings at this age, let’s also remember Joseph’s diligence in everything we do.

Now let’s look at David, the man who walked with God, the man after God’s own heart. The man whose reign, no other reign in Israel could compare. 'David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.’ 2 Samuel 5:4. David, a very pivotal man in the destiny of Israel as was Joseph. When I learn about the life of David, it just surprises me that he did not give up on the vision and promise of being King. He started well, he was anointed by Samuel, he killed Goliath and was hailed by the people and even Saul appreciated his ability to defeat the Philistines. Along the line, his continuous victory filled Saul with immense jealousy and hatred and he tried to kill him countless times but if God be for us, who can be against us. None of the efforts of Saul yielded any results because God was with David. After I read all David had been through and realized that he was now turning 30 when crowned as King, I was shocked because so much had happened. The key thing to note here is that, though so many bad things had happened, David always sought God in every move he made. From 1 Samuel we see how from inception as a shepherd boy, he fellowshipped with God and even in killing Goliath his ammunition represented God and in all he did, he gave glory to God.

For David, it was all about God and he did not leave God out of anything he did. No wonder he began to reign at that age. No pressure but I believe that before and after age 30, as children of God we must see transformation in our lives. If our lives have been haywire before this age, this is when we decide to take things back and start ruling and reign over the earth as God ordained for us in creation. 'And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 'Genesis 1:28. I have come to realize that as children of God, we cannot just accept anything into our lives and especially at this very important stage in our lives, and we need to command what we want to see in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the stage in our lives where we need to be intentional about spending more time with God, finding, following and fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives and putting a halt to our passiveness in the things that concern God and our lives. David’s intentionality with God and his life led to God being intentional with David every step of the way.

The ultimate person to look at, is the person with whom we are joint heirs, Jesus Christ. 'Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,' Luke 3:23. Jesus Christ began his ministry at age 30. From Luke 2:40 we see that growing up, Jesus was strong, filled with wisdom and the favor of God but in 3:23 we see that even in His wisdom and with the favor of God upon, He waited to be prepared, was baptized and started His ministry at the appointed time which was 30 years old for him. In the same vain, we can also see two key factors associated with Jesus’ 30th age. These are responsibility and the preparation before the responsibility. As we learn to become intentional like David was, we can learn to attach responsibility to this age.

Is there something, you have been planning or preparing to do? Is there a goal you have been meaning to achieve? Is there a task placed in your care that you have neglected? Choose to be responsible in your new age. Rather than just being there and allowing life pass you by. Choose to take responsibility of the gifting that God has placed in you and prepare to use them for God as you turn this new age.

We also see how Christ did not rush through the process. Yes! it was at 30 that He started His ministry but this was His own appointed time. We all have appointed times for appointed blessings, appointed responsibilities, appointed purposes and the only way to ensure that we don’t stray away and are not overcome with frustration is if we surrender it all to God. As we surrender, everything we go through becomes preparation for where God is leading us and rids us of the frustration associated with comparing our lives with other’s.

If your life is on track as you’re turning 30 or as you have already turned 30 then kudos, hurray! and well done! If you feel life your life is not on track, don’t beat yourself up over it or be frustrated. Rather this is the time for a 360 turn around with your relationship with God. If you have carried everything on your own shoulders all this while, this is the time to offload and allow God carry your burdens for you. His word says we should come to Him, all who are labor and are heavy laden and He would give us rest. For me, I know I don’t want to keep carrying alone and feel frustrated. What about you? It’s time to also be intentional about how we spend our time, especially time spent with God and the things we engage in as well as take charge of what we allow into our lives by faith. Time spent with God is never ever wasted. As a child of God, we have power. God said to Jeremiah and says to us today, 'See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 'Jeremiah 1:10

Again, preparation is key for wherever God is taking us. Never despise humble beginnings. When we look at the great men of God from above, we see that the various things they went through strengthened their faith in God and prepared them to take up leadership positions, to reign and start their ministries and through this preparation, they were able to do it with all diligence thereby achieving incomparable results. These men were also responsible. They did not leave things to chance but took responsibility for the promises of God concerning their lives while trusting in the complete leading and direction of God. Whether 30 or younger or older, all these apply.

Don’t be anxious or feel pressured! Surrender it all to God!