An Opportune Time to Assess Your Legacy
As the year draws to a close, many Christ-followers naturally enter a season of reflection. Advent invites us to slow down, to remember what God has done, and to look forward with hope. For older Christians especially, the end of the year can be a meaningful time to prayerfully consider a question that is both deeply personal and profoundly spiritual: What legacy will I leave behind—for my family, for the Church, and for the causes God has placed on my heart?
Legacy is about far more than finances. It is about faith passed on, values embodied, generosity practiced, and lives shaped for Christ long after we are gone. The closing weeks of the year provide a unique opportunity to reflect on these matters with clarity, gratitude, and purpose.
A Season Naturally Suited for Reflection
The end of the year encourages us to look backward and forward at the same time. We take stock of blessings received, lessons learned, and prayers answered. For many older adults, this reflection is richer, shaped by decades of walking with God through seasons of joy, hardship, loss, and renewal.
Scripture frequently calls God’s people to remember and recount His faithfulness. “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past” (Deuteronomy 32:7). Year-end reflection aligns with this biblical rhythm, making it an ideal time to ask how our lives—and the resources God entrusted to us—can continue to bear fruit.
Legacy as an Act of Christian Stewardship
From a Christian perspective, legacy planning is not about control or anxiety over the future. It is an act of stewardship. Everything we have—time, talents, relationships, and material resources—ultimately belongs to God. Jesus’ parable of the talents reminds us that faithfulness includes thoughtful, intentional use of what we have been given.
Considering one’s legacy is a way of saying, “Lord, how can what You have entrusted to me continue to serve Your purposes?” This includes caring well for heirs, reducing confusion or conflict, and ensuring that generosity reflects deeply held Christian convictions.
Caring for Heirs with Wisdom and Love
For many older Christians, children and grandchildren are central to legacy considerations. End-of-year planning allows time to think not only about what will be left, but how it will be left.
Clear plans can be a final gift of love—helping heirs avoid unnecessary stress, misunderstanding, or division. More importantly, legacy planning offers an opportunity to communicate values. Letters of blessing, ethical wills, or conversations about faith can accompany legal documents, reminding loved ones that inheritance is about more than money—it is about character, faith, and trust in God.
As Proverbs teaches, “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22). That inheritance includes spiritual wisdom as much as financial provision.
Supporting the Causes That Reflect a Lifetime of Faith
Over the years, many Christians develop a deep affection for particular ministries, churches, or causes—perhaps those that nurtured their faith, served the poor, supported missions, or defended the vulnerable. The end of the year is often when people already think about charitable giving, making it a natural time to consider longer-term support as well.
Including ministries in one’s legacy planning allows a lifetime of generosity to continue. It ensures that the values formed through decades of discipleship live on in tangible ways. For many, this is a joyful act of worship—an expression of gratitude to God for all He has done.
The apostle Paul reminds us that generosity is a reflection of the gospel itself: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
Peace of Mind and Spiritual Readiness
There is also a quiet peace that comes from having affairs in order. While Christians place their ultimate hope in Christ, practical preparation can relieve anxiety—for ourselves and for those we love. Addressing legacy matters before a new year begins allows us to enter the future with freedom, confidence, and trust in God’s care.
Far from being morbid, this kind of planning can deepen spiritual readiness. It invites us to hold earthly things loosely and eternal things firmly, echoing Jesus’ call to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20).
Faith & Finance Perspective
As one year ends and another begins, older Christians are uniquely positioned to see the arc of God’s faithfulness across a lifetime. Considering legacy at this time is not about dwelling on endings, but about embracing continuity—how God’s work through us can extend beyond our own years.
In prayerful reflection, thoughtful planning, and generous intention, the end of the year becomes a sacred threshold. It is a moment to say, with humility and hope, “Lord, let my life—and what You have entrusted to me—continue to serve You.”
Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.
- Deuteronomy 12:28, NKJV