Have you ever made decisions in life because they seem right at the time but when you look back you realize that it wasn’t the right thing to do? Well, I have and there are many times when I ask myself why I didn’t wait before making such drastic decisions. Why did I allow my emotions to get ahead of me? Why did I let the temporary feelings to determine my future? Why didn’t I seek the face of God before doing this? Why didn’t I wait?
Waiting for anything is hard, it’s even harder when you are single and you feel like you have limited options available to you. Some of us have made life altering decisions because we were tired of waiting for what seemed like forever. Loneliness crept in and we allowed FEAR get to the best of us.
We were afraid of being the odd ones out, the only one who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride, how many bouquets have we caught and believed the myth that the one who catches the bouquet is the next in line to get married? But year in and year out, we continue the journey as a single lady.
We were afraid to attend family functions where everyone has a partner by their side and a quiver full of kids. We don’t want to sit next to the nosy cousins who can’t help but taunt us at the dinner table with the following remarks: “this year we were looking forward to being introduced to the man in your life!” or “your nieces are worried that they are growing taller so they will no longer qualify as flowers girls at your wedding.”
As years passed by you asked yourself “when is it going to happen for me? Is Prince Charming going to notice me before the clock strikes 12? Sadly you didn’t have the answer to this question and the more you thought about it the fearful you became.
Fear has been defined as False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear can cause us to take matters into our own hands and forget God’s promises and fear can make us to accept the proposal of the first guy who comes along without taking into consideration if He is the right man.
You see, the right man won’t rush you to the altar. He will get to know you first and allow you to get to know him in the process. He will want to become your friend first before becoming your lover.
Girlfriend, I urge you, do not allow fear to control your decisions, give God back the control of your plans and future. He knows the desires of your heart. He loves you with an everlasting love and He is saying “Be still and know that I am God.” “I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Isaiah 40:31 tells us:
“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Have patience, beloved. Waiting may be hard but it is worth it in the end. This week let us be willing to learn how to boldly soar like the Eagle as we wait patiently upon the Lord regardless of our circumstances be it the ticking of the biological clock, the number of bridesmaids dresses in our closets, the statistics that are so depressing or what our beloved family thinks of us. Let us put everything in the capable hands of our Precious Father, “Our Daddy’s got this!”
LET’S PRAY
Precious Father, we come before you this week empty and waiting for you to fill us with your Holy Spirit. As we learn how to be Ladies of Patience, we ask you to help us because waiting is not easy; we admit that this is a struggle for most of us. However, we don’t want to hurry and go ahead of you because that is worse than waiting up you. Father, you know what is best for us; we are not single because you don’t love us but because you want what’s best for us. Teach us to content and wait upon you. In Jesus Name. Amen.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Write out the things that make you lose patience. Which of these cause your Sovereign God concern? Give these concerns to Him and ask Him to help you trust while you wait. “I will trust while I wait, for my God is never late” is a good motto.
Be Blessed
Jackie
Our Next Single Women’s Online Bible Study
“Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul”
by John & Stasi Eldgredge
Begins January 6, 2013
To sign up for this Online Bible Study, click HERE and follow the instructions. You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study. We’re looking forward to studying “Captivating” with you!!
About Jackie Chingawale
Jackie, beautiful post today, thank you! I really like that acronym of FEAR. I am at a point in my life when many of my friends are either married or in a very committed dating relationship (potentially leading to marriage). That's hard to watch and not let the fear of my singleness creep up on me. I lose patience typically on lonely Friday or Saturday nights, when no one is around. I lose patience when I see little children…and wonder if someday I'll ever have my own. I lose patience when I am a third wheel or have to listen to my friends talk of their significant others. I lose patience when I feel lost or am frustrated with God and how His timing is not my own. But He is so good and always restores whatever patience I have lost. He always gives me joy when I ask Him for it. When I surrender those fears to Him, He always picks me up and carries me when I feel like I can't walk another step.
So true Carissa, when we look at others lives and see how happy they are, it can be frustrating. Recently I was just talking with a friend about this and realized that when we begin to compare our lives with others we are doing ourselves injustice. We are where we are by the grace of God and let us trust Him with everything.
Carissa – your reply brought tears to my eyes, because I could have written it myself. Just know you are not alone xo
Oh Carissa, I so hear you on this one:) I am glad we are spending the evening together!! And I am glad we have eachother for support when the impatience seeps in.
great verses to hold in our minds, jackie! truly believing God's Word…and the encouragement it brings to our hearts…is SO important! <3
Amen Coleen, when we allow God's truths to sink deep in us, we are able to do the right things. We need to depend on His word than on our feelings.
Oh Jackie…I know what you say is so true, but girl it is so hard. I get frustrated at God for making me wait, then I get frustrated at myself for feeling that way…sigh. The never ending cycle! This paragraph you wrote is so me:
We were afraid of being the odd ones out, the only one who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride, how many bouquets have we caught and believed the myth that the one who catches the bouquet is the next in line to get married? But year in and year out, we continue the journey as a single lady.
(PS – I have caught 2 bouquets over the years, and now I won't even go out to try and catch them :-/ (that is even if I go to the wedding which I avoid like the plague lately)
Just keep praying!!
Jackie I absolutely love your blog posts. Maybe it is because of the first blog post I ever read of yours. I find that you are full of wisdom and I thank you for sharing that wisdom with all of us. It was like all I needed to hear was Our Daddy's Got This!!! It is so true. We give Him all things and we have patience because we know in our hearts He is faithful and will help us with everything we surrender to Him. Thanks Jackie for sharing such an encouraging post!