sin⋅gle [sing-guh l] – Not divided; unbroken
So many different messages are aimed at the ‘single.’ Particularly in the Christian circle, the message of looking to God for your only source of satisfaction and fulfillment, rather than another person, is prominent. And while this is all good and true, I wonder if maybe there aren’t other aspects of our lives – whether we are single or not – that we try so hard to fill by ourselves, even under the guise of doing it for the glory of God.
Looking to other people or things to fill a void in our lives is truly a tale as old as time. Relationships, food, money, drugs, alcohol – those are among the ones you hear of most often, and those are the ones that are typically most obvious. But what about the areas of our lives that are done in the name of God, or ministry, or making Christ known? Could it ever be possible that something in THAT category is done not with a singleness of heart, but instead looking partially for personal fulfillment through it? I say yes. Yes it can. No, not always, but that is where I discovered myself to be last night.
Case in point: I LOVE the thought of adventure. I have a great aversion to leading a ‘normal’ life. I want to go somewhere exciting. I want to do something exhilarating. I want to do it for God, but I also want other people to envy my experiences. I am also impatient. I want it to happen NOW. I don’t want to stay here and go to school. I want to go to Belmont and major in Commercial Music Performance. I want to go to Christ for the Nations. I want to go to YWAM DTS. I want to go to Hillsong College. I want to go to China for six months through IMB. Basically, I want to do ANYTHING to get me out of HERE as soon as possible in the name of God. I am CONSTANTLY trying to come up with SOMETHING to make that happen. And if you think I’m over exaggerating, I assure you – I am not.
But then it occurred to me: looking for adventure, even in the name of God, to satisfy my longing for excitement and purpose is just as wrong and futile as me looking for a relationship or anything else to fulfill me. My point is not to say that we shouldn’t dream big dreams or attempt extreme things for God. I will be the first to tell you that it is God who initiated those longings in us in the first place, and that they should be pursued and not suppressed, as seems to be the trend. (But that’s a whole other blog for another time). Indeed, I think we’d have a whole lot less unhappy people if everyone pursued the longings and desires God has placed in them, rather than settling for “safe” or “convenient” or, heck, even “normal.”
My point, however, IS that often without noticing, our desire for the ADVENTURE or the sense of purpose, or whatever, can end up overshadowing our desire to be satisfied with God alone, as is the case with me. I’m learning that if my single, undivided, unbroken pursuit is to be satisfied and fulfilled by God alone, He WILL satisfy that hunger for adventure in me; I have only to be satisfied in seeing Him in where I find myself now.
Psalm 17:14-15 says, “…You still the hunger of those You cherish… when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness.”
What about you? Is there any area of your life – even a part that is FOR God – where the desire to be fulfilled by the thing has overpowered the desire to simply be satisfied by God alone, wherever you are? Rest assured, you’re not alone, and that we serve a God of patience, grace, and second-chances.
