There are so many new things that come with college. New friendships, new classes, new opportunities, new delicious desserts, new reasons to go workout. The one that we seem to think about the most during college is the relationships we have or will have. Granted it’s hard to hang around people that are in relationships, but I am here to tell you that IT’S OKAY TO BE SINGLE. From personal experience, I have come to realize that being single is not as bad as it seems. So whether you’re new to the single-pringle club, or you have been a member for a while, there is a reason why God wants you single. Here are 5 reasons why God might want you single:

1. There is someone better out there for you

It sounds cliche, but it is more than likely true. As hard as it is to hear that, just keep going. Don’t date just to date, or settle just for the sake of settling. God has someone who he had in mind for you from the start. Before you were even born, he knew who you were going to end up with. How comforting is it to know that the God who paints the sky every morning and night designed and chose someone specifically for you?

2. The person you were with didn’t have your best interest in mind

If the person you are with does not challenge you in your relationship with Christ, pushes you to hunger and thirst for the Lord, or loves God more than they do you, then they don’t have your best interest in mind. If someone you are with says they are a Christian but does nothing to pursue Christ themselves or doesn’t guide you in a way that is glorifying to God, then they don’t have your best interest in mind. If you find someone who loves the Lord more than they do you, then they will love you with your best interest in mind.

3. God wants you to take time to come closer to him

After a breakup do you remember that feeling where everything is empty? That’s normal, but what you do to fill that emptiness is significant. Use the opportunity of being single to draw near to God and find yourself. By you growing with your personal relationship with Christ, you will be able to find yourself. We are made in God’s image and he is who we should be chasing after for comfort, encouragement, and a sense of belonging to someone.

4. He wants you to figure yourself out

It’s okay to take time to find yourself. Since we are in college you need to take time to focus on your major, your friendships, your relationship with God. We are all in at a point in time where we are just trying to keep our heads above water to pass classes, remember to eat, and getting at least 2 hours of sleep.

5. There’s an opportunity waiting for you

Being in college gives us the time to be completely available for the opportunities that God has for us. God could have something so big planned for you that you might have not noticed otherwise. Not to say that God couldn’t use a relationship as an opportunity to bring him glory, but that maybe a specific one he has in mind is meant for you to focus on independently.

So many great things can come from a Christ-centered relationship, but the best relationship is your personal one with God. He fights for your heart daily and loves you more than any other human being could. So while being single may seem like the ultimate low at the moment, God might think otherwise.