A Single Woman's Hope

Hope . . . I love that word!  It's a word that brings so much life & joy, but only when it's used rightly.

I'm here to tell you today that my hope as a single woman is not placed in the possibility of marriage someday.  I don't live for that time, and I don't believe that will be when I am finally and perfectly fulfilled.   Jesus fulfills!  HE is my hope.  Today and forever I rest in those truths!

That said, I would still love to be married someday.  I still PRAY for my future husband.  However, I'm not promised marriage in this life.  For today, I've been given the gift of singleness, and I want to live fully in today. . . taking in all the joys and sorrows that are in this moment!  I want to embrace the people in my life today. . . loving them and my Savior unreservedly.

Those words are my heart. . . but there are times when it's hard to remember them.  There's this lie floating around that too many people believe: That when you get married you will be fulfilled, completed...your problems will go away.  

And in that lie there's another one implied. . . that until you're married, you won't be fulfilled.

Can I repeat?  Those are LIES!

This is TRUTH:

"...I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly." ~John 10:10

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." ~James 1:17

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." ~Romans 8:28

" I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever."
~Psalm 16:8-11

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Fullness of joy (which sounds a lot like fulfillment to me!) is not found in marriage!  No, instead it is found in the presence of Jesus Christ!  And that friends, is something we can all enjoy--single or married!

I am so thankful the Lord is graciously teaching me this now.  His truth brings hope!  And I write because, friends, I want you to have this hope too!  Single or married, may we live fulfilled. . . not in our circumstances or season of life, but in JESUS!  The One who gave all for us.

" For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it."

                                        ~Romans 8:18-25

There are times this life gets hard.  Tis true!  But our hope is not based on something of this world.  No, instead our hope is based on the Creator and Sustainer of this world. 

One more thing. . . for those of you who are married, would you encourage us in this?  Sometimes phrases like "in God's timing" or "I'm sure you'll get married someday, God's just preparing someone extra special for you," that you mean as encouragement can instead encourage discontentment.  Instead, would you Point us to Jesus?  Remind us of His perfect love?  I'm not saying you can't pray for someone for us to marry, but for today, we are called to be single--and that is a GIFT.  Instead of pointing us to hope in a marriage down the road, will you point us to the hope we have in Christ?

This single woman's hope is in Jesus. . . and her prayer is that your hope is placed there too, regardless of where you're at in life!