“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12 (NLT)
I’ve heard from many single Christian women that tell me they don’t know how much longer they can wait on the Lord. It’s clear from their voice and tone that they’re coming close to giving up on waiting for the right person to come into their lives. They are truly teetering on the edge of despair and losing faith not just because they’re doubtful about finding a good fit, but they’ve also endured heartbreak and pain from the disappointments they’ve face. James 1:12 is meant to inspire hope in the promise of God. It backs up the reality that our desires are going to be tested, and how you and I endure the test is the indicator of how much we want the blessing we’ve been praying to receive.
Many single believers will not see it this way. They are very up front about the challenges of being single in the current environment, and they don’t understand the wait, wondering why the promise of marriage to a compatible spouse continues to elude them. A dear friend said to me, “I wish God would tell me what I need to do, so I can do it and receive what I desire.” Boy can I relate to her statement, but God has not withheld the truth from anyone. He is fifty million percent transparent. He doesn’t hide anything from His kids.
Because of the disappointment, hurt feelings, and emotional rollercoaster we’ve gone through, we want to avoid any further challenges associated with finding the right person. It can be very exhausting if we’re not clinging to God as closely as we should. It is important we realize that He isn’t going to prevent tests and tribulation, because Romans 8:28(NLT) affirms, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” There isn’t any situation that we can encounter that God cannot turn around and cause it to work toward our good. He’s God! He can do what we cannot do, and He is willing to help us because He wants us to be blessed.
We are placed on this earth to do the Will of God. We are to satisfy His purpose and to carry forth that which He’s called us to do in Christ. Sometimes we think we’re fulfilling our call, but our circumstances will testify if we really are. There are people we’re destined to influence and witness the gospel to, but because we close our mouths when it comes to speaking life and open it to gossip or speak the negatives of the world, we’ve missed the opportunity to walk in purpose.
If we’re feeling unfulfilled and unhappy, we must consider the reality that there’s something missing. We have been consumed with the blessing of marriage, but we’re not enthusiastic about the blessing of witnessing God’s Word. There are many ways to be a blessing to God’s Kingdom and we don’t all have to do it the same exact way, but there is absolutely no question that we have to do what God has called us to do. We must begin to focus on meeting His requirement and seeking Him so that we move forward in His plan for us. He’s told us this in His Word, and He will not deviate from it.
In Romans 5:3-5(NLT), God has given us a strategy for developing endurance. He tells us, “3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” We cannot underestimate the importance of what our Heavenly Father is telling us in this passage. He’s teaching us His requirement for spiritual character. This is not something that you and I can push aside if we expect to move forward in God’s blessings.
Endurance is God’s requirement for handling His gifts and blessings as wise and responsible stewards. He has already set up the system, it is up to you and me to follow it. He tells us that tribulations are for our glory. Do you doubt this? Don’t doubt it. Trust that God is working it out for your good. Patience is required for all God’s blessings, and there is absolutely no getting around this. He doesn’t stop tribulations and troubles from occurring because we’ve been made victorious over them through Jesus Christ. We had the victory even before the situation that caused loneliness and heartbreak took place. Faith positions us in the dimension where all things are possible, and we absolutely must work patience into our bones so that it’s our natural response to adversity.
We glory in tribulations when we wait on God. The habit pattern of waiting on Him is what causes us to be renewed in strength. The experience of witnessing His faithfulness and rewards after we’ve patiently endured is what builds our spiritual character. We are learning through this earth experience that our hope in God will never ever cause us to be put to shame. God is not making us wait, He’s waiting on us to be fully persuaded in His goodness and to trust that He cannot fail and will not fail us. He’s helping us to develop the spiritual strength to handle the gift that’s coming our way.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Handling the Gift That’s on Its Way”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.