Last week a friend asked why I blog. I blog to remind myself of certain truths.  

So here is a thought on the gift of singleness. Oftentimes I feel the blessing of my single years. I use the word oftentimes because it is now a little bit more than "sometimes" and still less than "all the time". It is a process. 

Singleness is an avenue in which I am dependent upon God.  The single state can be a trial - a fire, because you have to learn to rest and wait in a sovereign plan that you cannot see, and to be reliant on the Lord. I have seen, in my single years, God working to provide jobs, money when I needed it most, friendships, family relationships, and most importantly a foundation in Himself. Would my relationship with God have grown if I had married earlier? Perhaps. You don't choose how you grow, just if you do grow with the circumstances that you are given. 

I am studying I Peter in my devotions. Here it reads, in 1:7-9

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." 

In singleness, I have to believe God. I have to rest in His promises, that His leadership in my life is for my ultimate good. I have to know God, for who He really is. Good, loving, kind, long suffering towards me in my failures. God is continually generous to me during this time to provide for my needs, and to remind me of His love for me. I don't see the immediate future, but I can see God. I can see the finish line, the end of the faith that is being built through this time.  

You see, I was once 

Alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works. Colossians 1:21

Without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12

But God 

Loved me

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:4-6) 

Died for me

 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 

Presently He 

Has made me spotless from sin 

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:13-15

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Psalm 32:5

Is continually conforming me to Christs nature 

 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30

Soon He will 

Come again for me 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3

Behold I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:12

Create me complete in Christ 

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

If you read God's words, you can agree with Paul when he wrote under inspiration, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" Ephesians 1:2  

After all of these gifts, the blessings of this present world are an overflow, an outpouring of God's love in our lives. "Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." Psalm 23:5

Singleness is always temporary. Marriage may suspend it here on earth for a while, but then there is eternity, where no one is single or married. And eternity is destined to be grand, to be beautiful, to be fulfilling. 

Dear friends of mine have an open floor plan home. Around the ceiling of their home, they have a rope. At one end of all this rope, for one inch, they have a strip of green. The rest of the rope is white. 

Green is our time here on earth. Brevity.  

White is eternity. This is consummation, completion, perfection in Christ. 

How gracious of God. To not only give us eternity with Him, fully complete in Jesus, fully in fellowship with God, but to start that process now, here, in this brief time we have on earth. In the middle of our longing, here is Jesus. Here is hope and peace for today and tomorrow. Look to the author and finisher of your faith.