"She Shall be Praised"

The Valentine's day hooplah is now coming to an end,
candy hearts and overstocked sweets are now marked down and greet you at your local grocery store like sad rejected misfits that weren't chosen to brighten someone's special day.

I am sure there are people that may feel the same way after this over the top day to celebrate love. Discounted and rejected because that special someone has not yet entered their life or they have loved and lost.  The desire for romantic love can choke out any happiness or joy in life if you allow it.  Being single doesn't have to equal sad, alone, and hopeless.

This has been a struggle for me, but I am learning to trust God each day.  God also has some wonderful advice for women on this very issue.We are to be wise and build up (Proverbs 14:1) we are to fear the Lord rather than be concerned with the favor and beauty of this world (Proverbs 31:30) Single women, care about the things of the Lord seeking to be holy in body and in spirit and serve the Lord without distraction (at least that is what we are supposed to do) (1Corinthians 7:34-35).

Wisdom~Women are to be wise, so where do we get wisdom?  We get wisdom from the Lord.  How do we get wisdom?  We get wisdom by fearing the Lord. According to Proverbs 9:10,  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

Fear the Lord~How do we fear the Lord?  The Instistute in Basic Life Principles defines it this way, "To fear God is to desire to live in harmony with His righteous standards and to honor Him in all that you do." Easier said than done, right?  First it begins with the desire.  When we desire to live for God we will begin to put some action behind that desire and find out what His standards are and how we can honor Him.

Cares for the things of the Lord~When we fear God, we get wisdom and will begin to care for the things that matter most to God such as serving others and reaching them with the Good News of the gospel.

Holy in body and spirit~God is holy, and as we seek Him we will want to become like Him.  I think it is interesting to note that we will become holy in body and spirit.  Our body is from God and needs to reflect His glory just as much as our spirit.

Serve the Lord without distraction~According to the Word of God, single women can serve the Lord without distraction.  The distraction of a husband, I assume.  This is not to say marriage is inferior or wrong or singleness is a higher form of holiness.  Singleness just affords a specific opportunity to serve God (if one so chooses) that doesn't come with marriage.  The key is to actually take hold of it and serve God in your singleness.  Singleness is not a place to put your life on hold waiting around for the one that will sweep you off of your feet.  It will have moments of waiting, but ultimately you should be living your life to the full in accordance to God's will.  Distractions come in all shapes and sizes.  In today's technology-driven and fast-paced world, it is easy to get lost in all of the things that are constantly grabbing for our attention.  TV, computers, phones, social media, and that constant desire to be plugged in and not out of the loop. This makes serving the Lord without distraction that much harder.  It can be done, and God is there for us every step of the way.  We just need to seek Him and learn how to fear him.

For the Glory of God,

Getting Prepared

God has been slowly bringing me back to my role as a single woman and the responsibilities I have to him in my singleness.  In I Corinthinians 7:34-35, Paul speaks of the unmarried woman as one who cares about the things of the Lord and is holy in body and spirit.  He also states that he says things to encourage us and tell us we are more readily available to serve the Lord without distraction.
In today's fast-paced world, there are many distractions that surround me and beg for my attention.  To be perfectly honest, I have been distracted most of my life.  Yes, I have even been a distracted Christian.  Oh, I do many things and serve in my church.  I go I mission trips, but when was the last time I smiled and said hello to my neighbor.  When have I shared Christ to those around me?

My season of singleness is a preparation, a readying for friendships and relationships.  I must first be rightly related to God.   I am supposed to be holy--set apart--in body and spirit.  That is a specific task and requirement for a single woman.  I must take care of my body so it can be set apart and used for God.  Whew, that is a tough one.  What does that look like?  Do I eat healthy in moderation?  Do I exercise?  Do I go to sleep at a decent hour?  Do I use my time wisely and effectively?
I have begun to do this but have not been totally dedicated to this cause. 

I must also be set apart in spirit.  That means I must be seeking God with my whole heart.  What does that look like?  Does that mean I am at church every time the doors are open?  Serving on every committee?  Teaching a Sunday School class?  Emailing all of our missionaries?
This doesn't necessarily mean we are growing in spirit.  We can't earn God's favor; He freely gives it.  I've learned in the past few months, that growth in sprirt occurs with daily time spent with God in His Word, prayer, and just being in His presence.

I must take care of my body and spirit so God can use me, and I will be able to serve Him without distraction.  I also realize I can't do this on my own, so I must surrender to God and allow him to work in me.

Still Riding the Fence...

According to Dr. Henry Cloud, being dateless in college is a sign of an major internal dynamic that can hold you back.  So in other words, college is where the dating dynamics are at its best and if you're not dating there is something wrong with you.

I was taken aback by this statement.  I had my circle of friends and didn't need much more.  School and work were all that I could handle and I was content for the most part.

I don't think anything is "wrong" with me, per se.  I am just a late bloomer and am beginning to realize that I must learn how to interact with guys properly without sending off this unaproachable or desperate vibe.

I do agree with opening up my circle of friends or changing my "traffic pattern" as Cloud puts it.  On the other hand, I am trying to establish my walk with God and be content in Him alone without trying to fill voids with other things such as friends or a relationship.

I recently ran across I Corinthians 7:34-35 which says, "...The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit...And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." (Emphasis added)

This verse stopped me in my tracks several weeks ago.  Paul is telling us that the single woman cares for the things of God.  She doesn't have another person to please, no one to answer to, no one to run schedules by.  The single woman has the freedom to do what she wants when she wants, no strings attached.

As a single Christian woman, my job right now is to care for the things of God in order to be holy [set apart for a particular use] in body and spirit.  That is no small task. I have been working on my body for the last five years, and sad to say my motive wasn't holiness.  My spirit needs a major lift right now as well. 

God has been gently calling me to himself, and I want to be able to "attend upon" or serve him without distraction.  Distractions come in all shapes and sizes and can be easily replaced by other things.  Distraction-free service to God is difficult, but by his grace it can be done if we let him.