lonely heart ramblings
Last week, I was talking to one of my favorite Baristas at Green Bean and I mentioned that I hadn't had an official girlfriend since high school (about to hit 7 years now). She immediately replied consolingly, to which I responded, "Hey, it's not like i haven't had the opportunity -- that was all intentional!" No, I wasn't trying to pick her up or keep myself from looking like such a loser (okay, maybe a bit of trying not to look like a loser), but on the advice of Tollie, I told the Lord in spring 2002 that I was going to give a year strictly to Him without dating, and that year has lasted thus far. Yes, I have received a prophecy that this season is about to end, but as for right now I'm still extremely single.
All in all, I'd like to say i've held strongly to that vow, but I must be honest. There have been a few slip-ups, a few deceptions (purposefully or not), and even one instance going way too far because we were both weak and lonely. Nevertheless, I find I'm just like my parents in that I try to do a lot of things to fill up the time that could be better spent making the few things I'm doing work even better than they already are. That means that if I'd have tried to have a girlfriend at any point in the last seven years, I would've gotten so horribly off track that I wouldn't have made it as far in my connection with the Lord.
But this has led me back to this question I hear quite often from single Christians: Is there "just one" person for me out there? Strangest thing is, I've heard very Godly people argue both sides of this point. My take on it is simple: I know that God has promised only one to ME, so therefore He can do that for anyone else He so chooses, and nobody better tell me that He doesn't. Now, I understand that everybody's not going to receive a word or a vision from the Lord, and many of them because they're not seeking that type of direction. You see, that kind of takes the control out of our hands and puts it in God's, but I digress.
So am i saying there's only "just one" for the ones who will wait on the Lord to say something? By no means. However, I DO believe that whether you have a Word or not, the day you say "I do," you have found "just one" by definition. If you say, "Till death do us part" in front of the Lord and men, He expects your yes to be yes, regardless of what you swear by. So, even if you marry a person who is totally unsuited for you and your walk with God, you've made that commitment, so you dang sure better stick with it.
The reason I bring this up is because even we ministers of the Gospel start to doubt whether we are "supposed to be" with the ones we're with. The enemy attacks us, and thoughts of divorce and unfaithfulness seep into our minds. For those of us still single, we get thoughts of going after girls God has not promised to us. This is where we have the job of, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5 KJV).
You see, everything that is true about God cannot change, and His Truth is revealed to us through His Word, so if anything goes against that, it tells you that it's more important than what we already know to be Truth -- thereby placing itself above God, even if it purports to be in favor of God. The serpent tempted Eve to be LIKE God, yet it was by means of disobeying His command not to eat from the tree (see Genesis 3).
So I've come to realize that these thoughts that distract me are fleeting, and sure, they may come back, but if they're not of God they will not last. Any thoughts of these that you have, submit them "to the obedience of Christ" and He'll bring you the right one in the right time.
All in all, I'd like to say i've held strongly to that vow, but I must be honest. There have been a few slip-ups, a few deceptions (purposefully or not), and even one instance going way too far because we were both weak and lonely. Nevertheless, I find I'm just like my parents in that I try to do a lot of things to fill up the time that could be better spent making the few things I'm doing work even better than they already are. That means that if I'd have tried to have a girlfriend at any point in the last seven years, I would've gotten so horribly off track that I wouldn't have made it as far in my connection with the Lord.
But this has led me back to this question I hear quite often from single Christians: Is there "just one" person for me out there? Strangest thing is, I've heard very Godly people argue both sides of this point. My take on it is simple: I know that God has promised only one to ME, so therefore He can do that for anyone else He so chooses, and nobody better tell me that He doesn't. Now, I understand that everybody's not going to receive a word or a vision from the Lord, and many of them because they're not seeking that type of direction. You see, that kind of takes the control out of our hands and puts it in God's, but I digress.
So am i saying there's only "just one" for the ones who will wait on the Lord to say something? By no means. However, I DO believe that whether you have a Word or not, the day you say "I do," you have found "just one" by definition. If you say, "Till death do us part" in front of the Lord and men, He expects your yes to be yes, regardless of what you swear by. So, even if you marry a person who is totally unsuited for you and your walk with God, you've made that commitment, so you dang sure better stick with it.
The reason I bring this up is because even we ministers of the Gospel start to doubt whether we are "supposed to be" with the ones we're with. The enemy attacks us, and thoughts of divorce and unfaithfulness seep into our minds. For those of us still single, we get thoughts of going after girls God has not promised to us. This is where we have the job of, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5 KJV).
You see, everything that is true about God cannot change, and His Truth is revealed to us through His Word, so if anything goes against that, it tells you that it's more important than what we already know to be Truth -- thereby placing itself above God, even if it purports to be in favor of God. The serpent tempted Eve to be LIKE God, yet it was by means of disobeying His command not to eat from the tree (see Genesis 3).
So I've come to realize that these thoughts that distract me are fleeting, and sure, they may come back, but if they're not of God they will not last. Any thoughts of these that you have, submit them "to the obedience of Christ" and He'll bring you the right one in the right time.