Feeling Lost at 40

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched [Elijah] and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:7-9

I turned 40 this past weekend. Isn’t that nuts?! I was really depressed and stressed out about it leading up to my birthday, but now that I’m 40, it’s not that bad. I think I was afraid my bones would start breaking and all of my hair would fall out the morning I turned 40. Also, I think I was under the impression that by 40, I should have my life all figured out… which I don’t. But I’m kind of okay with that. If God were to ask me, “What are you doing here, Al?” I would reply, “I’m kinda figuring that out too.” But there is some reassurance that the number “40” has a lot of significance in the bible and appears repeatedly throughout Scripture. Moses lived quietly as a shepherd for forty years before he led his people out of Egypt; the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years before they reached the Promised Land; Elijah fasted for forty days on his way to Mt. Horeb; and Jesus fasted for forty days before He began His world-altering ministry. “40” represents a time of testing, waiting, and wandering. So if you’re under 40 and you feel kind of lost, that’s okay because that’s how it’s supposed to be.