We’re All Single For A While

We’re All SINGLE For A While

“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11

In virtually every culture, the single life is the exception rather than the rule. The vast majority of people either are married or were married, and are now divorced or widowed. And many of those who are mature singles have grown into their singleness while waiting for a mate. The number of people who have truly chosen the single life, rather than resigning themselves to it, is very small indeed.

Yet we are/were all singles for a while – between late adolescence and adulthood – when our culture expected us to be getting married. Most of us spent that “while” time preparing for marriage rather than being content as singles. Two perceptive authors offer some good advice to singles to keep them from wasting that wait-time with the wrong attitude.

Angela Payne, in her book Living Every Single Moment (New Hope Publishers ’04), wrote, “The tragedy of single people lies not in singleness itself, but rather in the time they waste waiting for it to end ... We must learn to appreciate the sovereign gift of the here and now ... and busy ourselves with our Father’s business, confident that He will be busy about the things that pertain to us.”

Michelle McKinney Hammond wrote this in Sassy, Single & Satisfied (Harvest House, ’03): “Single? Most definitely. Satisfied? Absolutely not! I lived in a place called Overwhelming Misery. Finally, one day I declared, ‘Lord ... I don’t want You to give me a mate until You can prove to me that I can be happy with just You!’ ... God quietly proceeded to take me on the journey of a lifetime. A tour of His heart ... and wow! I came out on the other side completely elated ... downright sassy, single and satisfied.”

These books are not available from G&T, but our three Features writers offer their perceptive thoughts on the subject of singleness.

By Larry Ondrejack