Waiting Wisely

Good evening, lovely readers!

I've been blessed with some spare time tonight and a title for a post came to me earlier today, so it looks like the perfect time to do some blogging! The idea of "waiting wisely" came to me as I read a few articles earlier in regards to what to do while you are a single Christian. As someone who is trying to purposefully be single until the end of Lent, I've hit a few roadblocks that make it oh-so-tempting to give up on that idea. Satan is really good at what he does, so it is a good thing Christ is a whole lot better at supporting us through those trials!

I had a post not too long ago about the "Forever Alone" lie (The Big Fat Lie aka Forever Alone- click here for a link), but once we realize that we will not be forever alone, what do we do about it? How do we effectively spend our time embracing what Christ has for us in our singleness, rather than wishing for a significant other all-day, everyday?

Even after doing my research, I still have moments where I wish I could just jump ahead, skip the singleness step, and be in a relationship. I think I'm ready to get back into the world of dating, but the reality is, I'm not. I might think my timing is all fine and dandy; however, Christ will never be delayed or early in His timing, so I really have no business deciding that timing on my own! I am constantly reminding myself that there is a reason I felt the push to challenge myself to this dating detox for Lent and that I should embrace the time to do God's will with no distractions. Nevertheless, easier said than done.

So what can be done? Whether you are purposefully taking a break on pursuing relationships or just haven't met "the one", what can you do with all of this time being single?

Here are a few ideas I brainstormed and/or tried:

1. Read, read, and read some more. I decided this is a great time to start soaking in God's word and began a one-year Bible challenge. While it is just a short bit of time spent each day, I am finding that I am learning so much about who God is and what He has in store for our lives with Him. Word of warning-- your mind may not-so-conveniently try to wander so be prepared to push through the distractions and re-focus!

2. Check out some new volunteer opportunities. I felt God was calling me to get more plugged in at church and took the plunge to start working with children's church every few weeks. Not only is it enjoyable, but also a great way to learn about your spiritual gifts and how to use them.

3. Spend time with new people. As a single person, we are free to do whatever we please, within reason, of course. There is no one tying us down with date nights and other relationship-related time commitments, which makes it the perfect opportunity to experiment with new social circles and to seek out new fellowship opportunities. Who knows, the friendships you make could lead someone to Christ or even strengthen your own faith! Word of caution-- focus on friendship as brothers and sisters in Christ, not on whether or not someone is a potential future mate! If it is meant to turn into more than friendship, let Jesus do the work and follow His guidance. 

4. Pray and journal. Devote a consistent time to prayer and/or writing in a journal everyday. Find a comfy spot where you can unwind and let God have your complete focus. God loves when we spend time with Him in prayer and writing about our thoughts can be an amazing way to watch how He works through our prayer life.

5. Learn to see yourself the way God sees you. Embrace who you are and where you are in life! This might be the most challenging idea of all, at least in my life. Mentally re-playing our mistakes in past relationships, whether it be with friends, a significant other, or family, can become a very detrimental habit and can wear down our image of who we are in Christ. Take this time to refocus on forgiving yourself the way God forgives you, unconditionally as though you are a blank slate. Isaiah 1:18 states, "'Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" 

I pray that all of the other single ladies and gents out there have found some equally as effective ways to spend their time! Please comment with any ideas, I'd love to hear my readers' suggestions on how to wait wisely.

Take care and goodnight!

Relationship Detox, Jesus Overdose

"Your love is my drug!"

Ke$ha sure got that one right! Americans, including myself, can get totally consumed in pursuing and maintaining a love life. Prior to my "Rock Bottom" moment, I had been caught up in this world of continually working on a relationship for ten months. It was a no brainer-- I had a boyfriend and that takes some effort on my part if I want it to be successful! The issue was, this time was spent with so much focus on the relationship that now I am scrambling to get back into the groove of pursuing Jesus. 

I've come to realize that I am not all that weird. A lot of people seek the love, acceptance, and comfort of being in a stable relationship. It's the reason why my girlfriends and I end up talking about the latest boy nearly every time we get together.  This value on relationships is the drive behind the popularity in the idealized show The Bachelor. All this can be fun, it's fine and dandy. However, that fun and excitement becomes a problem when there is more effort towards pursuing relationships than there is towards pursuing Jesus Christ. 

So this Lenten season, I have a kinda weird thing to give up. No, not chocolate. No, not Facebook. Boys.

For Lent, I am doing what I'd like to call a "Relationship Detox". Giving up something is never successful, though, unless there is a replacement for that time. In this case, my replacement habit will be a Bible-prescribed "Jesus Overdose". 

You might be wondering, what does a "Relationship Detox, Jesus Overdose" mean? How does that work in real life?

In 1 Corinthians 7:32, Paul said, "I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him."  

Essentially, purposefully being single gives me time and focus to consider how I can follow God's lead and teachings. Instead of spending time keeping my eye out for a cute guy, watching loads of shows about happily-ever-after love stories, and worrying about if I will find a significant other, I hope and pray that this time during Lent can be filled with praying, reading, and talking about God's word. 

Jesus certainly doesn't want us to all live the single life forever, but our relationship status should not be a deterrent from following Him. I am excited to see where the forty days of Lent take me in my journey with Christ and am confident it will prepare me to be more successful in any future relationships of this world.

If I was more musically talented, maybe I'd even take those words of Ke$ha and turn them into a motivational song of turning Christ's love into my drug. He has endless love to give out and there will never be a shortage of acceptance in Christ!

I pray that all of my readers can find an equally meaningful way to spend this time leading up to Easter.