As we come close to the end of my Real Love Series, I am excited to share this amazing post by my good guy friend Jonathan from Endeavor. He shares with us on the true meaning of waiting and allowing the Lord to work in our lives in the season of singleness.
It seems to be, more so now than before, a real big challenge for Christians to understand what God wants in the area of a relationship/marriage. I must say, I am by no means a pro in the subject! As times change, sadly towards an immoral society, the lines have become blurred as to what God wants and what the world says is ok.
God set His people apart to be the standard, yet it seems now the church has chosen to become a middle man, taken a lukewarm position between God’s standard and the world. If you cannot tell the difference between the church and the world besides a title, then there is a problem. One of the first things that must be realized about “marriage” is that it is a ministry. It is not two people who like each other spending the rest of their lives together trying to make each other happy. No, it is two ministers, called of God, joint together FOREVER, to fulfill a calling that could not be fulfilled in their singleness.
Keeping this in mind has helped me to truly focus on first being equipped with all that would be necessary for the ministry that I am called to. I would love to say that I have been unshakable and say my eyes have never strayed from the path, but truthfully there have been times where I have been distracted by someone. A lot of prayer is the only means of overcoming this, even though when God brings down that sword of circumcision, it is quite painful. In the end though, the joy overcomes the pain, and God will lift those feelings and replace it with His peace, which surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds.
Recently, the president of the bible school I’m in gave a talk about patience and longsuffering. I feel patience is appropriate for the occasion. He used James 1:2-4. Most of us when we think of being patient, or “waiting,” we think it implies doing nothing. The word patient in this verse actually means: the ability to bear things and vanquish with joy. There will be “diverse [trials]” that will come our way but we must be active in allowing patience to have her way. If we give up so soon, then we have achieved nothing and have not hit the mark God has for us.
Hitting God’s mark is a minute by minute job, not something to take care of in the future. Patience, or waiting, purifies us, it shows us the real motives of our heart, and if we truly press into God in this matter, He will respond. We cannot fall into this false idea that “dating” is part of waiting, it is more like trying samples until we find what we like or what God allows, we should only settle for His perfect will. We have a test to pass in our singleness that will take all of our strength, but once we fulfill it, God will take us to the next level. The funny thing is, most of the training we go through is preparing us for marriage anyway, including being faithful in waiting.
In my life, God has cleansed many of the wrong ideas, motives, language and attitudes I used to have. He takes care of His kids. It may mean ending certain friendships, but however God chooses to do it, let us delight in the simple fact that this is His will, it is the best for us. Now, I have not finished my race, there is much to accomplish, but I will endeavor to fulfill God’s best.
Thank you John! Finally tomorrow, we'll have our last post on this amazing series. I am so grateful to everyone who has participated.
so beautiful!!
ReplyDeletexo TJ