What about Singleness? (Part 1)

Some of you need to hear this. It’s okay to be single. No, really. You do not need to be dating or married to be whole. Wholeness is found in Christ Jesus alonenot through a romantic partner. As Christians, we find our hope in Jesus, and we find our meaning knowing we are a part of His kingdom and family through faith in Him. I was single for almost twenty-one years, and it did not, in fact, kill me. Sometimes, I actually miss certain things about being single, things I took for granted. A God-honoring romantic relationshipfrom dating to engagement to marriagetakes a time commitment. Especially once you are married because you have made vows before God to care for this other person. There isn’t the same kind of abundant free time to spend with friends. And there is also a learning curve as you figure out what it looks like to serve Jesus and keep His kingdom central in the way you serve your spouse. Paul talks about being single in the book of 1 Corinthians. He says remaining single allows a person to devote more time and energy to serving Jesus and His churchthe community and family of God. A single person has far more freedom to serve in more time-consuming and dangerous areas of ministry because they have not made vows before God to care for a spouse and any future children. Whether we are married or single, Jesus is the One who loves us perfectly and enables us to love others. Jesus does not fail or disappoint us. He sacrificed Himself out of love and wants to live in community with His people. You might be thinking, This is all fine and dandy, but I still want to get married. And that’s okay. But while you’re single, take time to invest in the relationships you do have. Find community with Jesus and His people, the church. Naomi Zylstra We are made to live in community, and that community is ultimately found with Jesus and His people now and forever (Genesis 12; Galatians 6:1-10; Revelation 21:1-5). What would it look like for you to find deeper community with other believers? How can you serve God right now as you are? What are ways you can love othersinside and outside of the church (Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:35)? And some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can. Matthew 19:12c (NLT)

Read Verses:

1 Corinthians 7:25-28, 32-37