No one likes to think about the disabilities and weaknesses that happen to us as we grow older—but they are real, and even the latest advances in medicine won’t completely eliminate them. How, then, will we react to them? What will our attitude be?

To put it another way, where will you find the strength you need—not just to deal with your arthritis, but everything else you may face as you grow older? The most important advice I can give you is to turn to God and find your strength in Him. God hasn’t promised to deliver us from all our trials—but He has promised to be with us and to uphold us in the midst of them. I often think of God’s promise to Isaiah as he grew older: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you” (Isaiah 46:4).

If you have never done so, turn to Jesus Christ and commit your life and your future into His hands. Then take time to recall the good things God has done for you, and to thank Him for them. A thankful heart drives out discouragement. In addition, make prayer and the Bible part of your life every day. You might start by reading the Psalms; they’ve inspired people for centuries.

Most of all, turn your heart toward Heaven, where every pain and sorrow will end. Remember: “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Find your strength in God today.