Single but Satisfied

Intro:

Today we are going to wrap up our final message in the instafamily series.

So far we have looked at kingdom parenting where we learned that kingdom parenting starts with you. God has placed you as a leader in the life of your child and you must model, show, and teach the way.

Week 2, I shared that healthy dating requires discernment as you do not want to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever, patience because desperation is never a good starting point, and healthy boundaries.

Last week, we looked at God’s design and plan for marriage. One man and one woman in a mutually submissive relationship receiving benefits from one another. We looked at four key areas in marriage, communication, finances, sex, and expectations.

However, the most important underlying truth from each weeks message is this: Keep the main thing the main thing, and that is Jesus must be priority in your life. Your personal relationship with Him is the critical key to everything else.

This morning, I am going to share a message I have entitled single but satisfied. I want to addresses the challenges and societal pressures often faced by single individuals.

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Submit:

As we jump into the message, I want to begin with a simple statement: Your relationship status is not the determining factor of your value, and it is not the limiting factor of your destiny. It’s simply a reality of the current season you are in.

Something to understand about seasons is that God will use seasons in your life to refine you, but the season itself does not define you.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:”

Whatever season you find yourself in there is great potential because the purpose of God is attached to it. If you are single in this season, you are not incomplete or lacking. You are surrounded by profound opportunity for unobstructed pursuits.

When your single, you have the opportunity to refine your focus and attention. You have the ability to create specific priorities and prioritize various relationships or activities without having to consider the needs of another person.

There is a potential to be more flexible and fluid in your life because of the lack of responsibility that stems from relationships. The highest aim of our life is two fold, first you should enjoy it, and second you should live to please God.

Ecclesiastes 3:9–14 “What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”

There is error in thinking that a relationship will fulfill all of your needs. The only one who can do that and His name is Jesus. Idolizing a relationship status can rob you of the potential joy of the season your in.

Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Being single is not a curse, it is an opportunity to encounter God in profound ways and experience the richness of presence. Embrace the unique story He is crafting in your life along with the potential to fulfill God-given purpose without restriction.

God makes everything beautiful in its time. Enjoy the journey. I want to challenge you to live fully present. Your life is not on pause until your relationship status changes. Pursue your God-given dreams and live abundantly!

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Apply:

Prioritize your relationship with God by making Him the primary focus of source and fulfillment.

The Apostle Paul gives an interesting perspective on being single in 1 Corinthians 7. For him, as he pursues the calling of God as an Apostle of the Lord he said that it was better for him to be single.

1 Corinthians 7:6–9 “But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

Paul’s primary concern in his life was to please the Lord. The result of this call on his life was that he chose not to get married. The goal or standard in life is not a relationship status, it is to serve the Lord. From Paul’s perspective within the context of his calling, marriage was a detractor from his purpose.

1 Corinthians 7:32–35 “But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.”

I share this not to say that marriage or being in a relationship is a bad thing. We know that is a good thing, but I am sharing this because I believe it is important to recognize that marriage will not bring total fulfillment to life.

It is possible to be single and satisfied (content) while you simultaneously contend for a future desire. You can contend without falling into desperation for the desires you have for your future.

To be content is to be in a state of satisfaction and/or to be satisfied. Contentment is trusting God and knowing that He is supplying everything you need in the season of your life.

Contending is when you are believing for a promise to come to pass or a breakthrough you’ve been praying for to happen. Contending is where agreement and confidence meet and release faith to believe that if God said it, then it will come to pass.

He does give us the desires of our heart, but our desires are sanctified when they have first been surrendered.

Excerpt from Christa Smith’s book “Singled Out in a Couples World” pg. 5 she says this, “There is no formula for how life is supposed to go. You have to walk out your story with the Lord and be patient with the journey He takes you on. If you know who the Author of your story is, then there is peace that comes in knowing that He is leading you to good places and has wonderful things in store for you. The Lord desires a deep and intimate relationship with you, and because of this I believe He allows times of waiting to deepen our dependence and intimacy with Him, especially in matters of the heart. The Lord wants us to have His best, and oftentimes that requires waiting.”

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Closing:

While waiting for the fulfillment of desires guard your heart, and guard your peace. Be mindful what you expose yourself to. If you are vulnerable emotionally, social media may not be the best place to scroll because it leaves you open to the trap of comparison.

The process of waiting is not a curse, its an opportunity. To go beyond your current capacities, to become the type of person you need to become, to change or establish healthy habits, to create proper boundaries, or to embrace healthy rhythms that are needed.

The success of a season is largely dependent on the place of our focus. If you choose to look at your relationship status with disdain you will be dissatisfied and robbed of joy. If you see as an opportunity you will maximize the potential of the season.

Don’t wait until you married to become the person you need or want to become. Things may not be turning out like you expected in the season you are in, but that doesn’t mean the season isn’t good.

Even when it feels like everyone else around is you taking their next big step, and you feel like your just working your 9-5 job, going to school, or going through the motions. Remember, everything is in His timing.

If you will surrender your hopes and dreams to God, you will find that He will replace them with peace, trust, and security in Him. The offering of your life to God isn’t easy, but it is a gift you can give Him.

Single or married does not determine the answer to the question, is God enough for you.

Lastly, Be intentional about celebrating other people’s answered prayers.

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

Your ability to rejoice with others, may be the key to you breakthrough.

Let’s Pray!

Holy Spirit help us to reframe our perspective.

Salvation.