If the title of this article surprised you, you likely fall in the category of “most people.”
If the title of this article annoyed you to an unusual degree, made your blood pressure skyrocket, and caused you to want to punch something really, really hard, you likely fall in the category of “menopausal people.”
While I’m being tongue-in-cheek here, those unhinged emotions are absolutely real when you’re going through menopause.
I know because I have more mood swings than a tired three-year-old throwing tantrums. Like many of you reading this, I’ve been experiencing the undeniable "uughs' of menopause: brain fog, night sweats, hot flashes, weight gain, weak muscles, low bone density, high cholesterol… Yeah, it ain’t pretty.
But as I stopped to consider this month's suggested theme for Indiaanya (about this phase of life), I came to a surprising conclusion: menopause can be a gift.
But, before I launch into the why of that statement, I realise that some women experience menopausal symptoms far more debilitating than the things I’ve mentioned. This post doesn’t intend to make light of the emotional and physical toll of menopause. As other articles on this topic have already noted, it’s important to seek medical, nutritional, and emotional support as needed.
This post is simply a lens through which we can view menopause differently from what culture has dictated.
So, why would I propose that menopause can be a blessing?
Well, to put it simply: God designed this phase of our lives, too.
As women who follow Christ, can we, perhaps, reframe the narrative around this stage of our lives? Can we tell a better story: one where menopause isn’t something to dread, or simply deal with, but a season that can draw us closer to God?
Menopause can be a gift because:
Compared to a decade ago, we have less energy. Like, way less. After years of running around in a tizzy, menopause brings us to the realisation that we aren’t as “infallible” as we imagined. Things simply don't get crossed off the to-dos anymore. In fact, we may not even remember what the to-dos are anymore. But when we turn to Jesus in our weakness (both physical and emotional), we let Him take the wheel. No longer are we trying to prove ourselves through our doing. In accepting our new normal, we learn to surrender—not to complacency, but to finding our completeness in Christ.
While we still care about outward appearance, we’re not fixated on it. Instagram influencers may try to sell us creams and collagen, and evangelise us with the gospel of Gua Sha and GLP-1, but there’s a newfound freedom in this season. As Christian women, we have the privilege of setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things. We are more focused on building strength and endurance so we can do the work God has called us to—rather than fitting into the mold of attractiveness the world prescribes.
I don’t have “data” to prove this, but from anecdotal evidence, I know that menopausal women are far less fearful about stepping on anyone’s toes. As a former “approval addict” myself, I can vouch for the fact that I care far less about what people think of me. It may be a hormonal shift. But I’d like to see it as a new sense of confidence the Lord gives us in this season.
This doesn’t sound like a gift. But it can be if we let God refine us as we come to Him in repentance. Menopause is a phase when “politeness” takes a backseat. We tend to drop the niceties. We say it like it is. We get angry, weepy, sensitive, and upset. But as we realise this about ourselves, we can drop the “nice girl” act and go to God in our brokenness. This season can morph into one of sanctification as He refines and renews us through His grace.
The sisterhood of women going through menopause is undeniably strong. Earlier generations spoke about this season in hushed tones. We now have the privilege of commiserating together about stubborn belly fat. We can laugh together about how we now say it like it is. We can empathise with each other about brain fog thicker than smoke at a BBQ. We’re not just a category of people that the beauty and fitness industry targets with ads about anti-wrinkle creams and ayurvedic treatments. We are a sorority that supports each other. We are a community of believing women who trust that God is far from done with us.
Menopause is not a curse when we allow God to shape us through the changes. It is a season where our identity in Christ and our dependence on Him are forged. It is a gift that frees us to live and move and have our being in Him.
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