As Christians, we believe in the second coming of Christ; the day when our Savior will return for his church. Since we maintain this belief, we go through our day to day lives preparing for his return. Although the hour of his arrival is unknown, we are constantly striving for clean hearts and a close relationship with him. Because when he does arrive, we want to be ready. Until then we are working on ourselves, and waiting patiently. Right?
Well, today's post isn't about the rapture, it's about singleness. How you're preparing for the rapture, is the same way that you should be preparing for marriage. If you desire to be married one day and you trust that God will send you a suitable mate; then you should be patiently waiting and seeking him. Since none of us single people know when we will be married, the length of our preparation is unknown. However, that's alright because God knows best. Preparing for marriage doesn't mean setting a wedding date and looking at venues; it means cultivating yourself.
There is a big difference between preparation and discontentment; when you're discontent nothing seems to bring you joy while your waiting. However when your preparing, you're putting your desires into God's hands and enjoying your season, instead of dreading it. Preparation requires you to be intentional about your future.
What does waiting/preparation look like?
Loving yourself before anyone else comes into the picture, and honoring God. When the time comes, God will bless you with someone who will love you and honor him. That's definitely something worth waiting for if you ask me.
Joseph waited for his God-given visions to become a reality! (In the process he was sold into slavery, and thrown in prison).
Abraham waited 100 years for a son!
Christ waited 30 years until he performed his first miracle!
In the midst of waiting there will be tribulation and a few trials. Sometimes it may seem like your desire is never going to be fulfilled, but always remember that marriage isn't God's only gift to you. I'll say that one more time, marriage isn't God's only gift to you. Now marriage is a great gift, but there are other things that God wants you to experience before you're married. There are so many things that you should do, while you wait.
While you wait... Pursue your calling
Do you know why God has put you on this earth? If you don't know, being in a relationship won't help you figure it out; and getting married before you know your calling is not advisable. If you marry someone before you know your purpose, then you might marry someone who isn't too keen on your goals. The spouse that God has for you, will have a calling that aligns with yours. The best way to discover your calling is to ask God to reveal it to you. You're calling is the most fulfilling thing that you will ever experience; because when you’re walking in your calling, you are walking in the favor of God. It's impossible to know who you truly are if you haven't encountered who God has created you to be.
Marriage is a ministry, therefore your marriage should glorify God. However, it won't, if neither of you are pursuing God's plan. Of course, you will still grow and mature spiritually after you get married, but you should have a foundation whilst you're single. You don't want to get married when you don't have any foundation.
If you're not walking in the path that God has for you, then you will miss out on the promises that he has for your life. As you walk in your calling you will stumble across Godly friendships, great moments with God, and several awesome lessons.
While you wait... Establish boundaries
What physical convictions do you have? (aside from abstinence). It's very important to have your boundaries established before you enter a relationship; if you don't have boundaries beforehand, then you could end up in compromising situations.
While you wait... Set godly standards
What are you looking for? Write down a list of the qualities that you want, and pray about them. God is faithful and he will give you what you desire, as long as it glorifies him. Make sure that you can meet your own standards; for example, don't expect someone that is prayerful if you aren't prayerful yourself. Become the type of person that you want to be, and the type of person that you would want to marry.
While you wait... Pray for your spouse
Ask God to lead them to their purpose. Pray that they will be completely faithful to you. Pray that they are growing in their gifts. Pray that they are busy preparing themselves for marriage. Most importantly, Pray that they are fearlessly living for God. Instead of sitting around in despair, seek God in this season. Have faith in God's timing, and use these moments to enjoy your singleness. While you wait, get prepared!
STAY INSPIRED!
