There have been a record number of published studies on single people in the past few years. Those in recent history suggests there’s never been as many unmarried adults as there are right now. More adults are opting to remain single, and those that are married are taking longer to get there. It’s no secret that men prefer the option of remaining single at a higher percentage than women. Many statistics on the age group of singles between 21-34 report that they prefer to live together with their significant other before taking that walk down the aisle. For those of us that believe God always knows best and want to live according to the standard of His Word, we really have to ask ourselves how much of the world’s influence has seeped into our psyches. Are we more comfortable than we think with not having to support and care for an extra person?
This isn’t a question or answer we should take lightly. One of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves is the time to think and reflect. Mark 1:35 tells us that Jesus Christ awakened very early every morning, while it was still dark, and he went to a quiet place to pray. In Psalm 46:10, Heavenly Father instructs us about the practice of stillness. He tells us to be still and know that He is God. Psalm 107 also talks about those who were in great distress and cried out to the Lord for help. Psalm 107:20 says that He sent out His Word and healed them. Our time of stillness allows us to pray, think, and hear God through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Spirit tells us the mind of Christ, and as believers we can’t function without this. The Spirit gives us the truth, and we don’t always want to hear the truth about certain areas of our lives. God is constantly communicating, but we don’t always hear Him because we abdicate the posture of listening as attentively as we should. We have to change this. We need to quiet ourselves so we can know the truth of what is really going on in our hearts. It is entirely possible to desire one thing in our heads, but have another desire operating in the inner sanctum of our beings. God tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to make it a priority to guard our hearts because they determine the course of our lives. Jesus Christ told us also in Luke 6:45 that we produce out of the treasure of the hearts. The thing that is going on in our hearts is going to create the realm of our existence.
A person doesn’t need to be married to be happy. Marriage is not required by God to live a Godly life. However, if we desire it, He desires it for us and would not withhold this blessing. We will sometimes think that He’s not blessing us to cross the path of our future beloveds, but this isn’t the truth. There are some things going on in our very own hearts about what we’re valuing most that interrupts our ability to focus our faith.
I know someone that was blessed to marry a very well-known person. In an interview he was asked what about her attracted him most. He remarked that it was the way she treated her nieces and nephews, because this allowed him to see the quality nature of her womanhood. When we’re praying to cross paths with the person we will ultimately marry, there are many lessons that must be learned before the door to this blessing is opened. During our season of learning, we should never be tricked into diverting our attention to negativity by thinking there’s not enough good men to go around. The man for us is out there, and he is just as concerned about finding a quality woman as a quality woman is concerned about finding him.
Seek wisdom about what is going on in your heart when it comes to this desire in your life. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:7-8(NLT), “7 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Many of us are not asking Heavenly Father the right question, because we haven’t prepared our hearts to receive the right answer. James 4:3 says we ask and don’t receive because we ask amiss; we miss the mark with the question. We can avoid this mistake. Ask God for the wisdom you need to set your feet on the path of your marital blessing and be willing to accept that you’ve got more spiritual work to do.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Ask the Right Question to Receive the Right Answer”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.