Becoming Content in Christ During Singleness

I leave for college in just a few days and cannot help but think back to something I read during my singleness last year. I was seeking to give God my deepest desire of a Heaven building marriage. This is the same season God dropped the message and mission of “Cultivate Faithfulness” into my spirit.

“Trust in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” -Psalm 37:3 (NASB)

Learning how to become content in Christ during singleness starts today. It happens in the messy. It happens when you are hurt. It happens when you are confused. It happens when plans do not go your way.

Let me tell you, brother or sister. I still dream of the future God has for me. I still talk about my “fh” as I like to call him lol. Just ask my family. What I do know is that this spirit of mine has reached a spot of being content in Christ even if my future husband never comes.

God has shifted my perspectives this year in showing me that I am here for Him. You are here for Him. I know my life’s purpose on earth is to prepare me to be spotless and blameless for the day I meet Christ in person. I want to enter my eternal marriage with God pure. This is why my boundaries and standards for dating are considered “extreme” to some people. My life is Christ. He is why I live. Whenever I enter Heaven, I do not want to stand before my Lord with a spotted up white robe. I want to be shining up there dazzling in the beauty of the Lord.

Whether you feel spotted or sparkling, know that God can hand you a new robe of cleanliness and righteousness today right now. No one is perfect. We all fall short.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.” -Romans 3:23-26 (CSB)

On last Sunday afternoon, the Lord gave me a freeing mindset change. I had been under the false impression that if I read enough godly relationship books, stayed pure, not compromised, prayed for my fh until every prayer was covered, or journaled an excessive amount of incredible thoughts to him, that the Lord would deem me ready for who He has for me. I know this sounds silly but hang with me. This also applies to my walk with God. I often believe the lie that my intimacy with the Father hinges upon my actions, my obedience, my prayers, my walks and talks, and my efforts. WRONG. God will bless me with my future husband because HE IS GOOD. I deserve hell but God’s grace steps in and gives me what I could never earn for myself. God’s love for me is not given because I am a good child. GOD’S LOVE IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND SECURE.

MY TIME WITH JESUS HELPS ME REALIZE WHAT I HAVE ACCESS TO. SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS DOES NOT CREATE ACCESS TO THE FATHER. JESUS DOES THAT. OUR TIME WITH JESUS OPENS OUR MINDS UP TO KEYS WE HAVE THAT WE NEVER NOTICED BEFORE.

A girl named Margot wrote the following wise words in Delight Ministries’ For The Girl book.

“Please, don’t miss it. Be fully present in today because to miss what the Lord has for you in these moments would be to miss a glimpse of the heart of God and the things that He can only teach you through these circumstances. You can’t get it back. Be all here.”

This quote stands out to me because I see how Jesus helped me implement cultivating faithfulness into my own life. While at my community college, I would meet up with people at my favorite coffee shop. I started having coffee dates with Jesus regularly. I would sit in Chick-fil-A alone and enjoy meeting the new people around me. I saw Jesus revealed in the workers at random places. I started to notice and admire people’s life stories. My heart began to be burdened for the lost, the lonely, the depressed, the hurt. Cultivate girls ministry was carried by Jesus faithfully. I was able to pour so much love and God’s strength into His daughters. I was able to speak and teach the Word of God. Some of my favorite memories from this past year included family time and one on one moments with my siblings.

I now find myself in a much different place than where I was at last year. I know God is good. His love is better than life. No one else could ever love like Love Himself can. I want to live in my Father daily. He is my Husband. I lack no good thing. He brings me to places I could never even dream of being. I know He holds my future and better plans than I could ever draft.

Whether you are single and loving it or single and wishing you were beside someone else, this is for you. No person other than Jesus created you. Only He knows what you need. Only He knows who can complement you best.

Lean into the arms of Love Himself. He is gentle, kind, most intelligent, thoughtful, surprising, patient, generous, on time, and always available. How will we ever appreciate a ray of God’s love if we reject the Source of Love Himself?

If God is not enough for us, no person ever will be able to stand beside us in right relationship.

I challenge you to start your journey of leaning closer into the Lord today and ask Him to work in your desires for what is to come. He wants what is best for you more than you do.

“’Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” -Matthew 7:7 (NIV)