What does God require of those who are single? Whether you are a satisfied or struggling single it is God’s will that you be the person He desires you to be for His glory. This means that you submit your life and desires to the Lordship of Christ and walk according to the will of God.
When it comes to those who are single, it was said in the first post in this series “being single means different things for different people. For some, the condition of being single is satisfying whereas for others it is a struggle“. In this post, I will be considering the state of the satisfied single.
I call them satisfied not because they experience spiritual satisfaction and other singles don’t or can’t. I use this designation because they are satisfied with being single and don’t desire to marry. Granted, some who will one day marry may for a time be a satisfied single, but their singleness clearly is not a permanent state. Those who are single and desire to remain single are the satisfied singles. They are individuals that the Lord has granted the gift of singleness. What is the gift of singleness? The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of individuals with this gift as those “who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12). This here describes an individual who voluntarily remains single and abstains from sexual activity by virtue of their gifting from the Lord. The purpose of this is “for the sake of the kingdom“. The apostle Paul stated,
“I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am” (1 Cor. 7:7-8).
Satisfied singles, you have a gift from the Lord. It is essential that you know how to use it and not waste it. Don’t allow your satisfied state to lead you down a path that wastes and destroys your productivity for the glory of God. Being gifted in singleness is not an excuse to be unproductive for the kingdom of God. Here are three things to keep in mind if you are a satisfied single:
Firstly, don’t let your singleness lead to a life of being a hermit or a recluse. You will naturally be alone a lot of your time, but don’t avoid Christian fellowship, godly friendships and relationships with others. Make it your determined plan to be a faithful contributor to the life of the local church. Faithfully be a part of Sunday worship, make use of the ability to stay longer and chat with the saints after Sunday services. Long to be a part of fellowship during the week in Bible studies or prayer meetings. Don’t remain alone but seek genuine fellowship.
Second, don’t allow your singleness to allow you to behave like a child. In other words, be mature and behave like a responsible adult. Yes you can have fun, but be productive to the glory of God. Being single is not a license to behave with immaturity; rather it is a providential opportunity for extended service.
Thirdly, don’t allow your singleness to lead you in becoming completely independent of others. The temptation of someone who is single is they learn to get through life by themselves. Yes, you are responsible for your own life, but don’t forget that as a Christian you belong to the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12). You need others to build you up. Single ladies, learn from godly older women and single men learn from godly older men. Don’t function separate from the body, but be a part of it. Remember, your ability to be a satisfied single is a gift from the Lord (1 Cor. 7:7). Your gift is given so as to contribute and benefit the body (1 Cor. 12:14-26) and who need that to be reciprocated.
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