Chapter 9: Single Life--A Gift
What we are is a gift, and, like other gifts, chosen by the Giver alone...We do not choose gifts, remember? Elisabeth discusses three statuses before death: single, married, or widowed. God makes Himself known to us in any of these situations. She mentions Paul's writings in 1 Corinthians 7:
It is best for each man to have his own wife, and for each woman to have her own husband....and also his seemingly contradictory statement: I wish that all were as I myself am...to the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do...
Most women that I know dream about their wedding day from the time they are in their late teens and into their 20's. In our "couples" culture it is up to the man to ask the woman to be his wife, although sometimes it's the other way around, I hear. I was single until I was 31 years old and have now been married almost 23 years. There was a time when I really wanted nothing to do with men and had no interest in marriage. This was partly because of lifestyle and partly because of the poor marriage example set by my parents. I never "wanted" for the company of men and I always have had lots of men friends to spend time with /date over the years. It took 5 years of me being friends and neighbors with my husband while single (dating others in the meantime) before I said "yes" to him and was really ready to believe God for all His Word says about husbands and wives.
There are others I know who are just waiting and are almost paralyzed while single. They roam the bars, the churches, the activities, the online dating services, looking for the right man for them. Many sleep around with men and occasionally women as well. I strongly discourage women from doing this, but rather encourage them to find a place to be with good friends and a support group and blossom where they are. If singleness is your current gift, learn to be all that you can while you are in that stage of life. Elisabeth has another excellent book about sexual purity while single called Passion and Purity
. God only knows who is the best match for you. Remaining sexually pure until that day is such a gift to your spouse.
. God only knows who is the best match for you. Remaining sexually pure until that day is such a gift to your spouse. If marriage (and by that I mean to a godly husband) if what God has in mind for you, it will happen in His perfect time. If it does not, still rejoice in what God has given you in a life of singleness. I know, easy for me to say since I'm married. One day, as happens to the majority of women, I will probably be a widow with singleness again as my "status" in life. I do not plan to wither away and die if/when that occurs and I doubt that I would ever remarry. Who knows? That time has not yet come. Use your gifts and talents, love and be loved, and seek first God's kingdom.
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Prayer #7 for Your Children: Justice
God, help my children to love justice as You do and to "act justly" in all they do. (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8)
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