You see, one thing about being single is that you have more freedom. You don't always have to tell or explain to someone where you're going. You're free to come and go as you please. You have more free time to serve God.
Now most singles I know eventually do want to get married, but there are definitely certain advantages and blessings that come with being single. And while I'm on the subject, I also want to mention that just because you're single doesn't mean you have to be lonely or walk around sad, mad, and depressed.
And it doesn't mean that every time you walk into a church, your head swivels around trying to find someone who's available, either.
Once, I was ministering along this line to a group of young singles, and I got on the subject of young ladies who chase young men. I mentioned that some single ladies seem to be particularly vulnerable in this area, because they'll have dreams about marrying a particular young man, and they'll go around telling everybody, "He's my future husband."
The problem with that is, the dreams these ladies are having are not from God. So when the man a woman's dreaming about marries someone else, she ends up with "egg on her face," so to speak.
No matter how you feel about the subject, a woman is not supposed to chase a man. Most of the men of God I've talked to will tell you that when a woman is chasing them -it doesn't matter how beautiful she is - they won't want her. Do you know why? Because they realize she's not a woman; she's just a girl.
So, single woman, don't ever chase a man. If you do and if you catch him, you might have to continue to "chase" him in order to hold on to him. The fact is, you just don't see that in the Word. The Bible says, "He that findeth a wife," not "She that findeth a husband" (Prov. 18:22)!
Now getting back to the subject of pleasing God, if our goal as believers is to please God - because that's why He made us - we need to look at how to pursue that goal.
We Can Please God as Jesus Did
So let's look at Jesus, our Great Example, because in everything we do, we're supposed to be conformed to His image.
I [Jesus] can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.Notice the first thing Jesus says is that He couldn't do anything by Himself. That shows true humility. Some people think humility is making themselves feel down and depressed or walking around saying, "I'm lower than everyone else" or "I'm just an old sinner saved by grace." (You can't be both a sinner and saved by grace. Either you're an old sinner, or you're saved by grace.)
( John 5:30)
But that's not what humility is. Humility is basically saying, "I can't do anything without God." It's not putting yourself down or making yourself feel lower than others, because you're not lower than anyone else. You're the righteousness of God. You're a child of God. You're a joint-heir with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17)!
You see, your being humble doesn't take you out of the category of being a joint-heir with Jesus. Your humility lies in the fact that you can't do anything without God. He is the reason that you can do whatever you're doing.
That's exactly what Jesus said: "I can't do anything in My own self. I can only do what My Father lets Me do." Then Jesus went on to say, "I'm not seeking after My own will or the things I want. I'm seeking after God's will" (John 5:30).
Jesus basically says the same thing in Matthew 6:33: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
So to please God as Jesus did, you need to first find out what God's will is for your life or situation. You need to seek after it, pursue it, and try your best to complete it. And when you do, God will take care of your desires, because His Word says so.
God's Plan for the Single Saint by Keith Butler, II
All rights reserved. Used by permission.