Key Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 3:2a – “a time to be born, and a time to die;”

Devotional:

How would the life you’re living look different if you knew you were dying? Would you spend your remaining time watching Netflix on the couch, living the rest of your days in utter sadness and loneliness? No, of course not! You would want to live life to the full, make a difference in the world and spend time with loved ones until your very last breath. The truth is that we are all dying, none of us are promised tomorrow and we all have a choice to either spend our lives on something worthwhile, or to squander it on things that will never satisfy.

Life slips away so quickly and if you’re not careful, it’ll pass you by. Ecclesiastes 3:2 reminds us of our own mortality, “There is a time to be born and a time to die.” If you’re reading this, then you’re somewhere in between the “time to be born” and the “time to die.” Since you are still alive, God has purpose for your life in this world. However, you’ll never walk in the good works that God has prepared for you until you have surrendered your life to Him.

Surrendering to God means turning the reins of your life over to His control, and it starts by believing that when Jesus pushed up on His nailed pierced feet and cried out, “It is finished,” that somehow it counted for you. Once you’ve surrendered your life to Christ, you step into the abundant life He died to give you – a life full of purpose. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” As a single person, God has given you the incredible gift to be able to focus on Him and the beautiful purpose He has for you.

I recognize the reality that much of the world, and even many well-meaning believers, want to rush us through our season of singleness, but that is not the message of the Bible. Whether you have always been single, or are single again, God has a specific purpose for this season of your life. Paul writes, “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:32-33).

So, live while you’re living. God has an abundant life for you in your season of singleness.

Deepening questions: 

• What purpose do you see that God has for you in your season of singleness? If you don’t know, ask Him.
• How are you living the abundant life that Jesus has for you? How are you not? 

Further reading: 
James 2:14-26, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27