1. “You have the gift of time.”
In the beginning of my single life I thought I had too much time. After all, what was time without a man to spend it with? That attitude caused me to waste time wallowing in pity because I was not married in my early twenties as I had planned. Yet when God opened my heart to a world outside the realm of marriage, time became my friend. My days were full of travel, meeting new people, pursuing my passions, and helping others. When you are single you have time and occasion to do what pleases God and blesses your soul. Do not take it for granted.
2. “It does not define your worth.”
Being a Christian single defines your relationship status. It says to the world that you are a Christian who is not currently married. We tend to take the status of being single much deeper than it needs to go. It does not say to the world that you are less, incomplete, lacking, or beneath. Because of God’s love, a Holy Spirit filled believer in Christ is of the royal priesthood, above, the head, favored, blessed in the city, and blessed in the field.
3. “We learn how to wait.”
Have you ever met someone that always got whatever they wanted when they wanted it? In general we classify them as spoiled. At some point in history someone attached “rotten” to that label. There was a reason for it. If we always get what we want when we want, how can we ever learn gratefulness? Waiting builds strong character in a person. The art of patience, long-suffering, endurance, and faith is mastered and made applicable in other areas of life. I have seen spoiled adults cry, scream, throw fits and give up because things did not go their way. And yes, I said adults. They are miserable and have no peace. Who can live like that? Praise God for learning how to wait and walk in the peace of God.
4. “God has plans for you.”
If you are an unmarried man or woman and walking in God’s plan, you are being set up for abundant blessings. My I quote Jeremiah 29:11 here? “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Whether you have never been married or find yourself single again, it is part of God’s plan. It is an aspect of the plan that will add even greater blessings to your life.
5. “You get to prepare before marriage.”
When I was in high school, there was nothing much worse than a surprise test. Some students refuse to take the time to be ready. They feel somewhat confident at first. Maybe they get through the first question okay, but then grumbling and beads of sweat manifest. The peril of unpreparedness sets in when they arrive at a problem they cannot work out. They do not remember reading this chapter of the book. They skip this problem and find the next five are worse. It is all downhill from here as the student rolls down into failure. Living single means that you have opportunity to prepare for marriage before marriage. Many couples rush into marriage just for the sake of money, sex, or not being lonely anymore. However, God is giving opportunity to prepare for marital matters that will arise. What does it really mean to be married? Study now and reap the benefits of your preparedness later.
The single life can be a blessed life. Enjoy.
All my love,
Candra
Love and Grace book of the week…Revelations of a Single Woman: Loving the Life I Didn’t Expect by Connally Gilliam