-For all you single folk that are still left out there. Here's a great blog written by NOE RIVERA. Noe works in the office for the World Race and has been a great encouragement to me in my journey here on the race. Be blessed by his blog! -Jamie
I'm Single. And Happy.
Not happy that I am single, but happy in my singleness.
And there's thoughts I want to share. They might not be all inclusive, profound and earth shattering, but hopefully they will add to our wisdom in the Lord.
-Not waiting for love. But living fully in love right now.
I've had seasons in my life where I think a lot about the future spouse, that my focus is not on the fullness of my walk right now. It not only is possible, it feels so so good – to live so in Love with the Father right now. Not empty or lacking in the joy of life because I'm waiting for the 'future' to fulfill it. But full and whole even in the singleness.
-Desire for marriage is there, and it's good!
I keep the desire fresh in my spirit. Trust me, the radar is on. And it's a good desire. A Holy desire. We're made for it. And so I pray. Instead of worrying, when I'm operating in a full walk with the Lord, instead, I pray. I say prayers for her. What the future holds. I can lay a groundwork today that will bless the future. Just as I pray for my week, or my day. Or just as I pray to be a better man, for more wisdom. I think it's okay, and good, to offer prayers for her, for us, and what the Lord wants to accomplish through the union.
-What I feed will grow.
If I feed thoughts, frustrations, research (fb stalking), constant looking…all about potential hers, then those things will grow. But it's not good. It's not the best to grow the very things that bring me the most anxiousness. Instead, I feed trust. I feed faith. In the Lord. I feed the prayer of trusting in God. I feed getting closer to my life purpose and calling. I feed growing in my own walk as a man of God.
-It's not only about me, her, it's about us and the kingdom.
If I view my singleness as a time to 'capture' her, it can potentially feed an off-kiltered thought. And that is-the pursuit becomes about that moment, about that win, that capture. But it's not only about that day of won pursuit, it's about the benefit we both will be to each other and the kingdom of God every single day in the future. Prayers for the exciting day of 'knowing it's her' or the day of 'union,' but also for the excitement for the many days that follow. And how that brings purpose. Purpose to how I pray. Purpose to how I wait. My waiting becomes much more purposeful.
-The right timing is more important than wanting right now to be the right time.
This might be the hardest one in singleness. The waiting!
"Why can't today be the right time, God?"
"What about them, why did it happen for them, and not me?"
I'd rather for everything and anything in my life to happen in it's right timing, then for me to rush or force it. Why? Because then I've hurried the process, expedited it, and missed the point. It is so much better to walk in a blessing when I'm ready, when she's ready. Ready to steward it. To grow it. If I force something then I might damage it. I might not know how to use the gift, steward it. If I were given a million dollars at age 10 I would have bought a warehouse full of Baseball cards, Easton bats galore, and enough ChacoTacos from the ice cream truck I'd be in an ice cream food coma for years! But now, in this season of life, I would steward 1 million dollars a lot differently, with purpose and wisdom than at age 10. It would be a blessing not only to my stomach, but to the kingdom that would compound and grow to leave an inheritance to those around me and my children.
You see, marriage isn't just for you, for her. It's for a family. It's for children. It's for the church, the community.
A beautiful marriage walked out in the community of Christians, is a blessing to many others, not only themselves. It has the opportunity to mentor young people, to advance the kingdom beautifully and strong!
Singleness-it's not all bad, only if we let it be.
p.s.
"I want to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about wordly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided." 1 Cor. 7:36
-It allows me to get ready. And do much!
I've been able to do so many things in my singleness, I'm even blown away by it. Don't get me wrong, would I trade that for being with her? Yes. But until then, the potentials are endless.
Undivided devotion today will bring healthy divided devotion tomorrow. And oh, how the Lord know's we want a divided devotion. 🙂 Until then…this is the day the Lord has made, let us (singles) rejoice and be glad in it. Do the wobble or Gangnam dance, it'll be fun.
