The Biggest Retirement Benefit May Not Be Your Social Security Check
What if the most valuable thing retirement gives you has nothing to do with money? The greatest benefit of retirement may not be financial—but the freedom to use your time for God’s purposes.
I left full-time employment over four years ago, and although Social Security checks are a nice benefit after several years of payroll deductions, I’ve found the most precious benefit in retirement to be the gift of freedom (or more free time). Of course, wise saving matters too—not for happiness, but for options. More resources simply mean more ways to invest your time in the passions God has created in you.
With this freedom comes the responsibility of stewarding this time well. In an earlier blog post, we defined stewardship as “the idea that God owns everything we have, and we are only managing it on his behalf.” This ownership concept not only pertains to our money and possessions, but also how we spend our time. This newfound gift allows us to enrich our lives in many ways such as increasing our time volunteering, deepening our relationship with God, more frequent visits with friends and family, and enjoying additional travel opportunities.
Since leaving full-time work, I have had opportunities to travel with my wife to visit and encourage missionaries we support in the countries they are serving. A highlight of our summers since retirement is hosting the annual “cousin’s camp.” Our mission during this 4-night camp is to model Christ and entertain seven grandchildren at a lake home in northern Wisconsin. Baiting hooks, removing panfish from the hooks, avoiding swinging hooks, and untangling lines can feel like a full-time job.
Finally, in addition to stewarding our money and time, we need to be good stewards of our bodies. Because traveling, interacting with grandkids and growing relationships all take stamina and mental acuity, we need to keep our bodies and minds fit as instructed in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Social Security may pay the bills, but freedom of time is the real gift of retirement. When we steward that time—in our families, in our churches, and in caring for our bodies—we honor the God who provides it.
If you want help running the numbers to see when you’ll be able to step into this increased freedom, we can help. Schedule a free introductory call to learn more about the services we offer and how we can help you live in retirement with confidence.
About Randy Wacek
Randy Wacek is a retired engineer and part-time paraplanner at Guide Financial Planning, a fee-only Christian financial planning firm with a passion for helping people of all income levels make wise financial decisions and steward their resources from an eternal perspective using Biblical principles. You can follow the links to learn more about Guide Financial Planning and our team and the services we offer.