Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
They (the proverbial ‘they’ of whom no one really knows the identity) say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” It is kind of a rallying cry for the stormy times of life. It is the comfort in knowing that a trial might take you to the brink of death, but on the other side of it, you will be better, wiser, stronger, and able to face even more challenges of life. I don’t know about anyone else, but there have been times when my life felt like loneliness itself would kill me. It did not feel like it would make me stronger at all. It felt like I was getting weaker and weaker by the moment. There was even a time in my life when I considered hurting myself, so that those I loved would have to surround. The possibility of death seemed, but a mere inconvenience to my plan. I felt that if I succeeded the loneliness would end because I would be surrounded by people who cared about my life. And, if the plan took a left turn and I did not survive, I would never feel the pain of loneliness again. I am well aware of how irrational that line of thinking was, but at the time, I was so depressed that it actually made sense. I truly considered letting my loneliness take complete control of my life. The interesting thing about that time in my life was that I was actually in a relationship at the time. So, one might be able to imagine how much more lonely it feels to be single. Even though, God had shown me in that instance that all I needed to know is that He is there for me, caring for me, and that He has my best interest in mind, there are still times when it feels like being single is going to be the end of me. There are times when I feel that if I am not touched, held, or caressed, I will just wither and die. There are times when I just feel the weight of loneliness bearing down on me so powerfully that it feels like I cannot breathe. But, every time that happens, I survive. What’s more is that I survive with a testimony. As the psalmist wrote, I realize that I will not die but live. Furthermore, I live to proclaim that being single will not kill you. It may seem like it will at times, but those are the times when we must press in to Jesus’ loving arms a little more. The times when no one will answer the phone or no one seems to be available to lend a shoulder on which to cry are the times in my life when I have experienced the most intimacy with my Savior, God. They are the times when I know He is there. They are the times that confirm that where my strength ends, His strength begins. It is okay to cry out to God in your loneliness. Even Jesus cried out to Him in His darkest hour. It does not mean that you will no longer be single, but He will give you what you need to feel able to keep pushing forward in the life that He has planned out for you. It will be a life that is full of more than you could imagine; a life that will bring glory to His name. You will live and not die. Prayer Thank You, God for showing me that being single will not kill me even when I think it will. Please forgive me for allowing my loneliness to make me think irrationally about how much You love and care for me. Lord, please help me to understand the purpose of this season and to live in that purpose for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated.
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Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Some days are better than others. I thank God that I can go for weeks, sometimes months without feeling lonely. But, occasionally, it happens. Usually, when other circumstances in my life are not going the way I want them to go, I start lamenting that I would not even care about these other circumstances if I had a relationship. If I had a relationship, then I would have the support I need to pursue my dreams. Maybe, if I had a relationship, I would not even have the same dreams and none of it would matter. One morning on the way to church, which is usually when the devil tries to get all up in my ear, I was just feeling down. Though I know it is not true, I felt like no one really cared about me. I tried to listen to music and sing, which almost always makes me feel better, but it didn’t work. This was just going to be one of those funky days. I would get to church, plaster a fake smile on my face, worship, and then, go home and feel sorry for myself. In the midst of my pity party, I felt a prompting to look in the rearview mirror, and then, I saw a rainbow. Rainbows are a symbol of God’s covenant that He would never flood the Earth again; they are also a sign to me that God is sovereign and has everything under control, even when the flood waters of life start to rise. Immediately, I felt better. I knew that I did not have to worry about anything that was going on in my life. God has everything under control. Not only does He have everything under control, but He knows what He is doing. He knows what we need and when we need it. So, we can make ourselves miserable by looking around at what other people have or we can praise God for what we have. Anything, any blessing under the sun that is meant for me, will be mine in God’s appointed time. The same goes for you. Yet, we waste so much time and energy doubting that God has our best interests in mind. God is with us all the time. He will give us the strength we need to get through the tough times. And, when we can no longer carry the weight, He will hold us up. He will carry us and help us. There is no need to worry or fear or be dismayed, if God is your God. Will we feel down sometimes? Absolutely; just don’t stay down. Think of the rainbow, God’s promise that He is in control. Then, pick yourself up and enjoy living the life that He has given you. Prayer Thank You, God for being in complete control over my life and every circumstance. Please forgive me for worrying when things don’t go my way. Lord, please help me to see the rainbow, the promise of your power, in every situation in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
I read it over and over again, “It is not good for man to be alone….” Those were God’s words, not mine. He knew we would desire companionship, so why am I still single, Lord? We were created to praise and please God. We were created in His image, and just as He loves us, we oftentimes have the desire to love others. The institution of marriage was ordained by God from the beginning of time, and yet, I feel left out because I am still single. Have you ever felt this way? In singleness, there seems to be a void. And the void is only natural, as God said it is not good for us to be alone. Many single people make it their life’s mission to find something to fill the void left by loneliness. We vigorously pursue dreams and goals. We invest time in people and projects. We immerse ourselves in anything we can to avoid the thought of how lonely we feel. There is nothing wrong with pursuing dreams; it is one of the greatest benefits of singleness. There is nothing wrong with staying busy; it can be helpful to relieve the pain that is sometimes experienced from being alone. However, until we realize that the void we feel can only be filled by God, we will be miserable. God is the treasure. He is the ice cream and the cherry on top. Sure, being in a relationship is like having a little whipped cream or some slivered almonds or chocolate sauce, whatever you fancy, but the sweetness is found in God alone. Just because God made Eve for Adam it did not mean that Adam was to love, respect or cherish God any less. And, Adam’s gift led him astray, as we allow many of the people God gifts us with to do. God wants us to have a suitable helper. But, that helper needs to point us to Christ in times of crisis or confusion. If you have accepted Christ in your life, you are never alone. Single, maybe. Lonely, sometimes. Alone, never! God is always with us. He is everything we need whenever we need it. Once we realize that, any relationship that God blesses us with will become infinitely more satisfying. We will stop trying to mold our loved ones into the perfect shape to fill our void because the void will be filled by God. How many relationships fail because they are based on our unreasonable and unrealistic expectations of what another person can do for us? Companions are great, but they cannot even begin to compare with being satiated by God alone. If we truly believe in the promises of God, then we know He has a plan for us and when we are best suited to have our extras, He will bless us with them. Prayer Thank You, God for being all that I will ever need. Please forgive me for trying to have other people and pursuits fill a void that only You can fill. Lord, please help me to be sure of Your promise that I am never alone even though I am single and sometimes feel lonely. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated.
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