The Gift of Singleness

To be single or not to be single. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:7 (MSG), “Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.”

Paul is essentially saying that singleness is a gift from God, and marriage is a gift from God. God does not put dreams and desires in our hearts to tease us. If God has given you the desire to be married, then he will bring that person into your life in his timing. And if singleness is what God has called you to, then you can still become the best you!

What can we do in our season of singleness to prepare for marriage? How do we enjoy this season? How do we become the individual God has designed us to be?

Here are four things you can begin doing today while becoming the best you in the process:

Invite God to the center of your life.

With God at the center of your life you will have the opportunity to understand that identity and wholeness can only be found in Jesus Christ. God is the only one who completes and restores. There is nothing and no one on this earth that will completely satisfy our souls like a relationship with Christ.

Begin to pray daily for yourself and your future spouse even before you meet them.

Prayer is a gift from God and draws us closer to his heart each day. When we invite the Holy Spirit into our singleness, we remove ourselves from the driver’s seat and put our trust in him. You have an opportunity to pray for your future relationship before you are even involved in it. There is power in prayer.

Find and surround yourself with God-filled friendships and community.

There is nothing more exciting than doing life with friends you love and friends that love Christ! They are the ones who call out greatness in you, encourage you when you don’t believe in yourself, cry with you, and point you to Christ. These are the friends and community who are praying for you and doing life with you each week (read Acts chapter 2). By finding a community like the one in Acts 2, you will hopefully find a group of friends you can call family, get plugged into a Bible preaching church, and start attending a weekly Bible study.

Become a lifelong learner and find accountability partners.

Accountability partners are people who ask the “hard questions.” These people are God-filled prayer warriors, older than you, a chapter or two ahead of you in life, and have your best interests at heart. You need to respect and admire these people because they should be asking about your faith journey, devotion to the Lord, your purity, and even more! These are the cheerleaders in your life who want to see you succeed and make wise choices in life and relationships.

No matter what season of life, remember that God sees you and knows you. There is nothing more beautiful than drawing closer to the heart of Christ. The gift of singleness in an opportunity to become more like Christ and become more like the person God has designed you to be.

Micah Kennealy is a Chi Alpha pastor with her husband, Josiah, in Bloomington, Minnesota. She and her husband lead the movement called Minnesota Young Adults.  Micah wrote her first book in 2017, Worth the Wait: Because I’m Made for You. She loves seeing young adults discover their purpose in life, influence their workplaces, and grow in relationships. Connect with her at micahkennealy.com.