God has been teaching me a lot about singleness, dating, and marriage over the past month or so. I’m not really sure why yet (and thought it was a mean joke at first since I won’t be in a relationship for approximately 20 months…), but I’ve been learning some really valuable things about myself, my relationship with the Lord, and all three of those seasons in life. For the sake of not writing an entire book tonight, I'll just talk about singleness for now.
Singleness is something that I think many people, myself included, associate negatively with. We tend to think of it as being a lonely time in life, full of searching with no results, and mass amounts of frustration. For those of you who have been single for longer than a year or two, you know exactly what I’m talking about. What I’m about to tell you is the exact opposite of the way it is typically viewed. Many people see singleness as a curse – I’m here to tell you that singleness is a GIFT.
Yes…I said it. Singleness is one big, huge, beautiful gift from Jesus.
This concept is completely counter-cultural, and something that some of you may have never even heard before. The world teaches that being single indicates that something is very, very wrong with you. You must be weird, or smell bad, or have some repulsive tendency that makes people not like you. That thought pattern is completely and totally unbiblical. In actuality, singleness is a gift that God gives us to prepare us for one of two things. For those whose futures contain marriage, it is meant to prepare you for that relationship and possibly even for parenthood. For those who will live a life of singleness, it is meant to be a model for others and give the world a glimpse into EVERYONE’S eternal future, where singleness will be applied to all of us.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”
This is NOT meant to make us question why to even bother with marriage in the first place. Marriage is a gift from God as well; it should be honored and used to display a clear picture of Christ’s love for the church. The passage in 1 Corinthians is actually meant to help put the reality of eternity into perspective. The things of this world are only temporary – its relationships included – therefore, the only one who truly matters and gets to define who we are now and forever is Jesus!
If you're single, I want to challenge you to view it as a gift. This is a time when you get to spend all of your time and energy with God! That's pretty stinkin' exciting!!!!!!! So spend time with him! Learn who you are in Christ, be content in Him alone, and do things that you may not get to do when you're in a relationship or married. Go to 11 countries in 11 months! There are no limits when He is in full control, and it is awesome!!!
If you aren't single, my hope is that your significant other does not define you. Let Jesus be the one who determines your joy. Life is so much fuller that way!
Whichever path the Lord may take you down, there are two truths that I pray will remain for each of you, no matter what season of life:
BE CONTENT IN WHICHEVER GIFT YOU ARE GIVEN, AND LET THE LORD BE THE ONE WHO DETERMINES YOUR HAPPINESS.
People will fail you continuously. Jesus NEVER will. Simple as that. 
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things…When Christ, WHO IS YOUR LIFE, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:2,4
