After coming home from a date at two in the morning, Michelle stared in the mirror while removing her makeup. 51 years-old and single, she couldn’t believe where her life had taken her. She thought her last relationship would manifest into a committed, lasting marriage, but it didn’t happen. She had reluctantly did what she promised herself not to—start the whole trial and error thing with dating again. When she thought about it, her heart began to swell with sadness, and she cried herself to sleep.
How many of us have gone through this same gut-wrenching emotional pain? It can be a roller coaster, and all you want to do is get off it so you can have something meaningful—something that will last. Why does it have to be so challenging to meet someone that is committed and loyal? The answer to this question is not that difficult, but it does require that a single woman that desires marriage be willing to be brutally honest with herself and with God.
There are certain aspects of our walk with Jesus Christ that cannot be compromised in any way. In life, we get away with making mistakes, and our Heavenly Father is extremely patient with us, but we don’t get a pass when it comes to how we view Him and how we personally value our relationship with Him. Jesus Christ said in John 4:24(KJV), “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” This is a commandment and it is uncompromising. We MUST worship God in spirit and in truth. So, being earnest, honest, and transparent before God is a requirement.
Jesus Christ also said in Matthew 6:33(NLT), “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” We must ask ourselves if we truly and completely believe the commandment and the promise of Christ in this verse. It is a very important scripture to our Christian walk and to our ability to manifest the more than abundant life that Christ has made available. First, Jesus tells us what to do. Then, he tells us what will happen if we do it. We must ask ourselves if we are committed to do as he asks, because he’s not asking us to do something that we’re incapable of. He’s giving us the most wonderful privilege of all of life, which is to honor God in all that we do. You and I must believe God’s Word here. We must believe with all our hearts that if we do what we’ve been called to do, which is to seek God first and live righteously before Him, He will reward us.
The bottom line is this: if we have faith to meet the right person for our lives, then this should be equaled by our faith to live righteously and put God first. We can’t say we have faith for one but aren’t demonstrating faith for the other. We can’t just use lip service and simply say we’re meeting God’s requirement. He knows when we are, and He knows when we aren’t. There must be something that backs up our faith in God’s Word. James 2:26(NLT) tells us, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” There must be consistent evidence of our commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Many of us think we’re doing all we should be doing. We think we’re worshiping God the way He requires, but the truth is that we’re destined to become better and better at it as we get older and wiser. We’re not become stuck in routine, but we are to keep growing in Christ so that our offering to God increases, then our blessings will increase as well. Life is supposed to be sweet, and when it isn’t, we should know beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus Christ is the main ingredient. Following him, putting on more of his example, is the part of the recipe we may need to improve on.
Jesus Christ warned us about tribulations in John 16:33(NKJV). He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Life comes with its challenges, but we must never forget that through Christ our victory is a sure thing. He overcame every challenge and every obstacle, and through him, we can do the same. He wants us to let our roots grow deeper in his love, because it’s a love you can’t find anywhere else. As God’s daughters, we are responsible for loving our spouses through the love of Christ, and to do this, it must be rooted in our hearts through God’s Word.
Rather than letting our emotions sink low when things don’t appear to be working out in our favor, try something infinitely better. Be thankful! Philippians 4:6(NLT) tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Don’t go back to those old ways. They won’t bring you new results. Instead, make a commitment to pursue God. Wake up and recognize that everything we have done and everything we do in life has a consequence. Begin to be conscious of this and only do those things that lay up heavenly treasures. Don’t harm yourself by sabotaging your own efforts. Pray often, read and study God’s Word, and ask Him to direct and guide you on the path He has ordained for your life. Ask Him what He requires from you and be diligent and patient as you learn more about putting Him first and pleasing Him with your whole life. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“The Kind of Love You Can’t Find Anywhere Else”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.