Imagine two keys.
Now imagine threading those keys onto a key ring.
Here’s the question: are either of those keys more complete now that they are joined together than they were individually?
Answer: no.
And neither will you be if you’re single and hoping to be married one day. “Singlehood” is often considered synonymous with “incomplete” – as in, there’s something unfinished in you that only a spouse can complete.
As romantic as Hollywood makes that scenario sound, it’s not really true. A happy marriage isn’t the result of two people who expect each other to fill in every empty spot in their lives. A spouse can fill in some of your empty places, but all? That’s too much to expect of any one person, except the Lord.
God has something better in mind. He sees singlehood as a sacred, fulfilling endeavor lived out by an individual who is whole and complete, spiritually, financially, and relationally. Single means unique. Single means one of a kind. When you look at yourself that way, your marital status won’t be the defining essence for who you are. Marriage becomes a bonus.
Research shows that about half of the population is single. As many as 90 percent of those singles, however, would like to be married someday. I can’t answer if, when, and how God might bring someone into a relationship that leads to marriage, but I know this: too many singles miss out on what God has for them right now because they lose themselves in what they hope for later.
Adam and Eve weren’t created as a couple. God created Adam first, as a single, an individual. He was given a purpose in God’s creation, prior to Eve becoming his wife. God created Adam to be fulfilled and fully free in his singlehood before creating Eve as an added blessing beyond what Adam might have thought possible.
God’s desire for every single person is that they maximize their “now” while they anticipate their “later.”
For an insightful conversation about this topic, join me for the Focus on the Family Broadcast “Cultivating a Healthy Single Life.” Our guests are pastor and author Dr. Tony Evans, along with Lisa Anderson, Director of our Boundless community for singles. Listen on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
I’d also like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Dr. Evans’ book Kingdom Single as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. To make your pledge, or for more information, visit our website or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
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