We’re in Part 3 of Sacred Singleness, and today we are discussing chapters 9 and 10. These are my favorite chapters because they explain my biggest regret from my days as a single woman. I recently wrote a guess post for Megan at He Will Be Faithful to Complete It entitled “A Single Regret”. I do not know when it will be published, but it will be during Megan’s Singleness Saturdays series. In the meantime I encourage you to stop by her blog and read the encouraging words written during this series.
“She did not have a special call upon her life. Rather, she was simply living out the very same call God has placed upon each one of use who claim to know Him – utter abandonment to His purposes and absolute trust in His faithfulness.” (Sacred Singleness, p. 119)
Question 1: Leslie begins chapter 9 with a story about a Christian single woman named Lydia who abandons her desires to pursue the call God placed upon her to become a missionary.
Do you believe that each of us has the same calling? Not necessarily to become missionaries, but to be absolutely abandoned to His purposes no matter the cost?
One verse comes to mind when I read this question. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). The Bible is full of stories of people who were not abandoned to God and His purposes. Until we are fully abandoned to Him we will not discover our true calling, God’s true intention for our lives.
For me, I was afraid in many ways to be fully abandoned because I didn’t know what He might ask me to do. I liked my comfortable life, and I did not want that life disrupted. Now I know that this left me with a void – a void that could only be fulfilled by surrendering to what He wanted to for me instead of what I wanted for myself.
On page 125, Leslie gives specific ways to pray in order to begin living poured out for Jesus.
- Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit and supernaturally equip you.
- Ask Him to reveal activities or habits that are not glorifying to Him.
- Ask Him to show you anything that is distracting you from Him.
- Ask Him to remove every stumbling block.
Question 2: Leslie writes that the best way to find a guy is to live for God and His purposes. Do you agree with this statement?
When I accepted this truth, I finally began to truly understand God’s heart for me. It is hard to realize it when as a single woman, but nothing else in life will fully satisfy you, and nothing else will be satisfying if you are not fully surrendered to God’s purposes. You will search filled with anxiety and confusion until you begin to live for His purposes alone.
“American mentalities train us that this life is all about our dreams, goals, and our ambitions. But that’s not true Christianity.” (Sacred Singleness p. 126)
Question 3: What are specific ways you can serve God and His people during your season of singleness?
In real life, I lead a group of single ladies’ through the small groups at our church. We have been reading and discussing Sacred Singleness. Last week we discussed chapter 9 and ways that we can specifically serve God and others in our lives and communities.
When I talked to one of my single friends later in the week, I was so happy (and proud) to hear that she has already contacted two organizations about service opportunities: the pregnancy center in our city and our church about serving with the middle and high school ministries. She is a true example of pursuing a life sold out and surrendered to Christ. She is committed to being a good steward of her time and her gift, right now, of singleness.
This week I want to challenge you to do the same. Make a list and then make the phone calls. The best way to overcome feelings of loneliness, fear, selfishness, etc. is to give your life for the good of someone else’s. In my guest post at He Will Be Faithful to Complete It (that I mentioned above), I list specific ways that you can do just this.
What are your ideas? How can you pour your life into others in order to pursue God with all of your heart, soul, and mind? Please share with us in the comments.
Next week we will discuss the last chapter – chapter 11!
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