1Thessalonians 5:16-18(NLT) 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
You see co-workers going away on vacations with their husbands. You hear other sister-friends talk about wonderful evenings shared with their special someone. Even old classmates that were in the same boat as you are now happily coupled up, and you feel like you’re the only woman on the face of the earth that is without someone significant in your life. Trust me, you are not alone. Lots of women are feeling this way. God hasn’t forgotten about you or your heart’s desire. His Will is for you to be abundantly blessed through Jesus Christ, and even though things are taking longer than you’d like, 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 will most assuredly set you on the right path.
Heavenly Father tells us in this passage how we should be occupying our time, and He also makes it very clear that we should have a mindset of joy and gratitude. Sometimes, when we are feeling down about being single, we might get frustrated. We wonder what we can do to bring ourselves closer to the blessing we desire. Well, the other important truth that God reveals in this passage is that we can’t stop praying, no matter how discouraging our circumstances appear.
In 1Timothy 6:12, God encourages us through the Apostle Paul and tells us to fight the good fight of faith. To get a better understanding of this, take the sport of boxing for instance. A worthy opponent is one that deserves respect, and in boxing, two boxers show themselves to be worthy opponents when they can endure round after round. After they have fought several rounds and the winner is declared, commentators and spectators alike will remark that this was a really good fight. They say this because both opponents had skill, perseverance, and endurance. They were unwilling to give up easily. God tells us in His Word that faith is a good fight. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must know God’s Word, we must have perseverance, and be willing to endure. This is what is required to be strong in faith.
Life comes with challenges, and it isn’t always easy. Jesus Christ warned us that there would be troubles and tribulations with life on earth. From this, you and I must know that the devil will test our faith. Whatever our heart’s desire is, this desire is going to be tested for its strength, and for our willingness to persevere and endure in Christ. We shouldn’t be surprised that the devil will do this, but instead, we must always roll up our sleeves and be ready to use the weapons God has equipped us with.
Romans 8:37 declares that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. This is who God created us to be. In John 16:33(NLT), Jesus teaches us, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Our Master Jesus is telling us to be confident in the victory over sin and satan that he won for us. He is letting us know that we will not be defeated, and we must keep the faith.
Do not allow yourself to sink and to doubt the blessings of God. You are equipped to endure, and you can be confident in your victory! Keep a joyful spirit. Smile more, laugh often and kick bad moods to the curb. Marriage will require you to know what it means to endure in patience and to persevere through tough times. During adversity and obstacles, you must be able to be calm and allow the peace of God to take over your heart, so that you can encourage your spouse as well. Heavenly Father is teaching you to do this while you’re single. Pray that you learn your lessons well, and remain humble and committed to your faith in God as you do. ■
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.
“Equipped to Endure!”, 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.