The Disease of Singleness (Part 3)

In each of our lives, we have and will find ourselves in various ‘stages.’ In each of these stages, God has purposes & plans for us – things He wants to develop in us as well as teach us. For example, as a person goes through their college years, they often learn how to live on their own and to become more disciplined. If God doesn’t develop those abilities in a person in that stage, they will never be able to succeed or function in the next stage of their lives.

Over the last couple months I’ve been reading through 1 & 2 Samuel and have been learning so much about the life of David. One thing that has stood out was David’s stage of ‘solitude’ as a shepherd. He spent a number of years out in the pastures where it was just him, his sheep and God. As discouraging or depressing as the word ‘solitude’ might sound it is actually a healthy, positive thing. Without that time David would have never had the talent he needed to become the warrior he would soon be, nor would he have had the heart for God that he would be known for having. Author Henri Nouwen once said that “solitude is the furnace for transformation.” With that said, we all must understand the stage in life where God has us and what He is desiring to develop in us. In singleness, it can be a great opportunity to develop our talents/abilities as David did. Also, and even more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to develop intimacy with our Creator. Just read Psalms and you can see this intimacy blossoming in the life of David. Today, I challenge you not to squander the stage you find yourself in, anticipating what is next, but make the most of the furnace in which God has placed you.