“Yay…just what I always wanted,” you think sarcastically as you inventory this year’s Christmas gifts. Textbooks from your parents. A completely-not-your-style sweater from your sister. Deodorant from your obnoxious little brother. And another year of singleness. “Thanks, God, but I was really hoping for a ring this year. Didn’t I tell you that’s what I wanted LAST year?”
If you’ve been there, you’re not alone. I’ve been there many a year. It’s been more than one year that I’ve made my list on December 31–plenty enough time for God to arrange for me to get me the item that tops the list. A husband. That’s what I want for Christmas. And I’m giving you twelve months to find one. It shouldn’t be that hard, right? Especially not for God.
But then Christmas rolls around and I unwrap my gifts, and self-pity hits when I realize that once again, God’s chosen to give me…singleness.
Singleness? Are you serious? Yep, He’s serious. HE seems to really think a lot of it, even if I didn’t.
I’ve been a reluctant recipient of the gift of singleness for many a year, but by God’s grace, He’s helped me to begin to embrace this thing that He calls a “gift” but that I’m all too wont to call a “burden”.
I have done the same thing….. many years going as well. I have found it is all about perspective. There is a reason God keeps providing singleness for me and instead of being upset, frustrated, jump on the pity party ship I should be thinking, what is God doing? How is God being glorified if I am so negative about what he has provided me? Tough questions that have lead to a lot of learning about myself and my personal relationship with God.