What Is God's Purpose for Me While I'm Single?
Singles
Audio By Carbonatix
By Liz Lampkin, Crosswalk.com
Every believer in Christ has a purpose and a calling. Every believer is blessed with gifts to use to build God’s kingdom. More often than not, many singles are led to believe that their sole purpose is to seek marriage. This belief is constantly perpetuated by the church, which holds that the primary way for the church to grow is through marriage. This belief often leaves singles feeling lost and unvaluable to the body of Christ, when in fact they are extremely valuable, and each has a specific God-given purpose. So, if you are an unmarried believer and you are feeling as though your only purpose is to seek marriage, or you are unsure of what your purpose in God is, take a look at these words and hide them in your heart.
A Profound Relationship with God
The first purpose in any believer's life is to develop a profound relationship with God. This relationship is personal and develops daily over time. A profound relationship with God requires one to be intentional in building this relationship. This intentionality calls for someone to communicate with Him by reading and studying His Word, engaging in consistent prayer, listening to God when he speaks to one’s heart, and depending on Him for guidance through His infinite wisdom. For the unpartnered believer, a profound relationship with God requires shifting from a focusing on a romantic relationship to a complete relationship with God. It means spending intentional time seeking His face instead of seeking others. It means understanding and accepting His will for your life, no matter what season of singleness you are in. While this type of bond won’t happen overnight, nor is it meant to happen overnight, it is one that can be developed over a lifetime, whether you’re single or not.
Developing Your Identity in Christ
The next purpose for your singleness is to develop your identity in Christ. Many single believers have been taught to believe that their complete identity comes with marriage; however, this belief is wrong. For the single believer, developing your identity in Christ means releasing worldly and church cultural standards as they relate to your singleness. It means changing negative thought patterns about singleness and reclaiming your thoughts to what God says about it. And it also means accepting God’s perspective on singleness. Developing your identity in Christ will require you to unlearn many stigmas about singleness and relearn the gift that it is.
Use the Gifts God Gave You for His Glory
As previously stated, every believer is gifted spiritually at the point of confession and conversion. Each gift must be developed properly in the Body of Christ to build His Kingdom here on earth to save the unsaved and create stronger disciples. With each gift, there is a ministry waiting for help to grow, or waiting for a ministry to be planted. Single believers, whatever season of singleness you are in, you are called to use your gifts to build and work in God’s Kingdom on earth. If you’re unsure of your gifts, take a spiritual gift inventory to discover what they are, and get to work as you are led.
Understand the Ministry of Singleness
Singleness is a gift, and the life of each unmarried believer is a ministry. Ministry is defined as service to God and others. It calls for serving through specific, various acts to meet the mental, spiritual, physical, or emotional needs of others. Many single believers have not been taught that singleness is a ministry because it’s rarely viewed that way. The life you live while unmarried serves as a witness to others, both married and single. The way you walk in love, the way you minister to others about the joys and struggles of singleness, the way you show up in ministry, at your job, and in your everyday life are a part of your personal ministry as an unmarried believer. Serving in singleness is not limited to seeking marriage. In fact, it doesn’t begin there either. As an unmarried believer, your life is a unique ministry gifted to you by God to serve and uplift others, completely separate from your relationship status. Take some time to ask God for a clear understanding of your single ministry, and boldly walk in that understanding every day.
Develop Your Prayer Life
Prayer is essential in the life of every believer. For single believers, developing your prayer life is important for walking in singleness as God leads you. As an unpartnered believer, the world, church culture, religious practices, and even close friends and family will challenge the single life and the blessing that it is. And believe it or not, many singles challenge this belief as well. This is why developing a prayer life is a part of your single purpose. Without it, negative thoughts will form in your hearts, minds, and spirits to the point of belief. Singles, develop your prayer life daily by meeting God first thing in the morning, setting a time for prayer midday, and ending your day talking to God. Whatever you do, make sure you establish a routine you can maintain to strengthen your relationship with God and with your God-given singleness.
Live Intentionally
Living intentionally in singleness is another part of God’s purpose for unpartnered believers. This part of purpose calls for singles to grow daily by intentionally learning, setting goals for singleness that stem beyond marriage and dating, and affirming themselves in it daily. Many singles miss out on the blessing and adventure that is the single life because they are focused on marriage or dating. Don’t let this be you. Live intentionally in the ministry that is singleness and grow as God leads you to.
God has a purpose for every child of His, no matter their relationship status, and that purpose is multifaceted. Singles, as you’ve read, have multiple purposes in Christ as a single believer, and it is your responsibility to walk in each of them as God leads you. Your purpose is not linear, and neither is your singleness. Understand that God will never withhold any good thing from you; He knows that singleness is what’s best for you right now, and He knows the plans and purpose He has for you in every season of it. As we come to a close, it is my sincere prayer that you take some time to walk through what you’ve read and work towards understanding your purpose each day. If you find yourself wavering or struggling to find your purpose, take some time to immerse yourself in God’s Word to hear His voice, consistently pray for direction, and seek Godly counsel from those who understand that your singleness is a gift. Singles, your life is filled with purpose. Your singleness is a purpose-filled ministry. You are loved by the most High God who created heaven, earth, and you. Everything God creates is good, and everything has a purpose. Learn and walk boldly in yours.
Related:
7 Ways for Singles to Discover Their Purpose
7 Ways to See God’s Purpose for You Beyond Dating
The Powerful Ministry of the Single Life
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/OR Images
Author Liz Lampkin is an experienced writer, teacher, and speaker. She is an advocate for singles who encourages them to live their best life God’s way. Follow her on Instagram @Liz_Lampkin.
