Being single is hard, whether you want to admit it or not. And we've all been there, or you're there now. Going into college you expect so much. This is where your life actually begins, and this is where you become who you truly are. There are also high expectations in possibly finding your future spouse during your freshman year. All of these anticipations are great to have, but they aren't great to fall in love with.
I'm going to be completely honest and tell you that struggling with being single isn't something I want to admit to.There are times that it just seems like nothing good will ever come out of it, and you feel hopeless. But that's not what God intended for us. 1 Corinthians 7:17a says, "Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you." Here, Paul is talking to the Corinthians because they were struggling with questions about marriage and singleness. Paul tells them this truth to communicate that it doesn't matter where you are or what situation you are in, we are called to have faith and live for God. Single or in a relationship, we should always be honoring God. His timing is perfect and His plan for us is perfect, even if we can't see that.
Something else that is often easy to get caught up in is forgetting who you are during the process of trying to find someone. If you don't even know yourself, your worth, or what you stand for, you will find yourself lost. Lost, and far away from who God has intended you to be. I've always believed that the best way to find your person is to be you. Completely you. Do you think you're weird? Who cares. Do you think you're not good enough as you are? You are, Jesus says so. Do you think that you're not pretty enough? You are. Do you think you're not like everyone else who seems to be in relationships? So be it. God has made you who you are. And you are priceless, redeemed, new, beautiful, wonderful, and most importantly you are a CHILD of our one true God! It doesn't get better than that. So, as said in For King and Country's song "O God Forgive Us", "find the truest version of yourself by knowing the one who knows you better than you know yourself." Find you, know you, and never give up on being you. God will bring 'the one' to you. He will make things perfect in his timing. So be patient. Be hopeful. Be grounded in Christ.
To those struggling with singleness, remember that God has not forgotten about you. He is building you and molding you into the person you are supposed to be for the person you are supposed to be with. So don't lose hope, but be "joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" Romans 12:12. Being single can be a struggle, but if you use it to honor God you will find that He brings you more joy than anyone ever could.
My prayer for the Christian struggling with singleness:
God, almighty and powerful God,
Restore our souls. Teach us YOUR ways, and YOUR truth.
Aid us in remembering that YOUR ways are higher than ours.
Help us to not be confined by the lies of the enemy, that say we aren't good enough.
Because with You, God, we are enough.
Help us to be confident in who we are in You, because You make us perfect.
God, just open our hearts and minds to You, I pray we do what You want us to, and we
realize that Your purpose for us will prevail, and we will fall beautifully in love with what
you have made out of this mess we call life.
In Jesus name, Amen.
