Singleness

All the single ladies (and men), this one is for you.

Have you ever felt alone in a world full of married couples and fiances?  I've certainly been in those shoes before. And those shoes aren't comfortable. Some say they are called by God to be single, and that can be  true! God does call some people to lead single lives. The apostle Paul, for example, shares some insight into his lifelong singleness:

31Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.

32I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:31-34 NLT)

Paul shares that it is actually a blessing to be single. Still unsure how being alone can be joyful? Well, if we are Christians, we aren't alone. We have a gracious and loving Father who knows us better than we know ourselves! He created us. He knew the story line of our life before we even began playing our role.

16You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed. (Psalm 139:16)

And He knows what is best for us. But these verses don't imply that God has called all of us to be single.  I don't believe God just ignores a true desire for companionship. We all know He created Eve for Adam, so Adam would no longer be lonely. But that doesn't mean while we are single, we should be whining about our loneliness, just waiting for God to drop our future spouse from heaven (complete with an angelic chorus and glowing engagement ring.)

Now is a golden opportunity in our lives. We should spend this time focusing our time and energy on serving and pleasing God, while we don't have the pressure of pleasing a mate. We should be utilizing this time to become the best servants of God that we can be! I truly believe that if we live for God, He will make good on the promise that He will bless us.

So even in these times of loneliness, let us not forget to Whom we belong:

19So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT)

We are never alone if we belong to God. The relationship we share with Him is more important than any earthly relationship we can build. What can you be pouring your love and energy into right now, while waiting for the one God has planned for you? Maybe you need to start reading your Bible or praying. Maybe you already do those things, but need to start serving. Serving can be as simple as sending an elder a card or buying a stranger's lunch. Let us single folk make a pact to work on our relationship with God before we go on a search for "a soul mate".