As you scroll through your social media feed, navigating through tons of videos and pictures from at least five or six weddings, the world seems to echo with messages of "You're incomplete without a partner" or "Your life won't truly begin until you find 'the one'." Friends, acquaintances, and even that younger cousin who was a few grades below you, all seem to have their lives figured out, simply by settling that one BIG question of who they would spend the rest of their lives with...
Then we find there’s that struggle to maintain the perspective that one’s worth and identity are rooted in Christ, in a culture that places such a high premium on romantic relationships.
The journey of finding balance in singleness feels like a constant battle between the desire for companionship and the longing to surrender fully to God's plan for our lives.
The Bible first sheds light on singleness from the words of Jesus in the book of Matthew 19 verses 11 and 12. In this scripture, Jesus encourages those who accept and can live single to answer that call. Paul further buttressed this point in 1st Corinthians 7, that this singleness and abstinence was to be able to do the work and God and the Kingdom without distractions. He explained so intricately how the unmarried or single man or woman has time to care for the Lord as opposed to the cares of this world.
And so as much as scrolling through our social media feeds may remind us of our singleness or being around family or relatives who constantly are interested in your love life (or the lack thereof) may be gnawing at your peace and sanity, I urge you to keep content in this season, knowing that God’s ways for your life are way past finding out. "How might I keep content?" you may ask.
You can keep content by having a memory verse that is God’s revealed promise to you ( for example, Isaiah 34:16).
You could also journal...not just every and anything like you did in your journal at thirteen, but focus on gratitude and what you have instead of what isn’t yours.
Keep your eyes focused on the goal of pleasing the Lord and master who has placed you into “service” and maybe, just maybe you’ll have what you desire. For His Word says “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and every other thing shall be added unto you”
Encourage yourself and any other singles in the Lord and His word and don’t try to change the situation out of desperation for you might end up missing your singleness and wishing it all back.
If and when you eventually meet someone or people who might be eligible, bring it all back to God...after all, He knows your end from your beginning.
King Solomon, after marrying all the wives and having all the concubines nicely summarized his struggles with finding balance by saying “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
So, remain at your duty post warding off every thought of singleness being a death sentence. I pray God grants you dear reader, wisdom, strength, and peace as you seek balance and fulfillment in your season of singleness.