All The Single Ladies...And Gents

Sometimes when we pray and ask for help, we end up having to wait what seems like a lifetime for some semblance of an answer. Other times, we end up not having to wait at all. I cherish those times when God answers immediately, and yesterday was one of those days. As you can tell by my last post, I’ve been struggling to find contentment in being single. The question I keep asking is HOW. I know why I should do it, I know when I should do it (um, now, obviously), but HOW? I prayed this simple prayer, and immediately God seems to have said “Oh, you wanna know how? Okay, I’ll teach you how. Here ya go.”

And in comes June Hunt. June Hunt is my hero. She’s the founder of Hope For The Heart and has a couple call-in Christian radio talk shows that I listen to online quite often. I can speak for both my brother and myself when I say that God has already used her immensely to speak truth into our lives and point us toward Christ. Yes, David and I are probably the only two people under the age of 50 that listen to the show, but trust me, we don’t care. In fact, you’ll probably hear the both of us unknowingly humming the show’s theme song on a daily basis. And in case David ever tells you about her incredible talkshow “Hope Is Where the Heart Is," don’t google it because that’s not what it’s called. It’s “Hope For The Heart.” Sometimes he gets confused…

Anyways, last week I decided to order one of June’s books entitled “Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook.” I wanted to use the section on self-worth to use for some curriculum I’ve been teaching to my Sunday School girls. So I read over the section again and again, but guess what came after the section entitled “self-worth.” Well, it was actually sexual addiction. Then sexual integrity. BUT after that, it was SINGLENESS. When I saw it, it was as if a heavenly light was shining down on the pages before me. ‘Tis a miracle! No one ever offers counseling on singleness. But it only makes sense that June Hunt would, because the woman is nearly in her nineties and has never married. Yes, it’s true, there is actually a person offering advice and hope on singleness that has actually spent a lifetime being content in singleness. Like I said…tis a miracle!

This woman is so amazing that she actually used an acrostic to give wisdom on how to be content. I love acrostics. Soooo, I thought I’d share it on here, because I know I’m not the only one who can benefit from this, and I know that there are other people struggling with the same things I am. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind at all, even if I am somehow unknowingly breaking some copyright law. Here’s what she had to say about HOW to be C-O-N-T-E-N-T with singleness...

Confess the difficulty. Admit...
...if you are discontented, angry, frustrated, lonely
...if you desire to marry
...God's right to order your life
(Jer. 10:23)

Overcome the "greener grass" mentality. Marriage does not...
...cure loneliness
...provide self-worth
...cure depression
...provide security
(Phil. 4:19)

Nourish a heart of gratefulness. Be thankful for the freedom...
...to attain your own aspirations
...to take risks
...to use your time as you need
...to be mobile
...to have greater control over financial planning
...to nurture several deep relationships
...to lean completely on the Lord
...to serve the Lord in any way
...to be spontaneous
...to be yourself
(1 Thess. 5: 16-18)

Treasure your identity in Christ. Remember that...
...you belong to God (Rom. 8:16)
...you are never alone (Deut. 31:8)
...you have all the confidence you need (Prov. 3:26)
...you have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)
...you have a purpose in life (Ps. 138:8)

Expect God to give you a ministry. You can...
...learn your spiritual gift
...love others with agape love (seeking other people's highest good)
...learn the art of encouraging others
...look for ways to meet the needs of others
(Rom. 12: 4-17)

Nurture a family of friends. You can...
...be open to several significant relationships
...be free in sharing your true thoughts and feelings ...be interested in your friends' interests
...be compassionate about your friends' concerns
(Prov. 13:20; 17:17)

Trust your future to God. As you do so...
...lay down your emotions---feelings follow thinking, so learn to think the way God thinks through studying and memorizing Scripture.
...lay down your will---give up having to have things your way. Instead, seek God's will.
...lay down your expectations---allow the Holy Spirit to direct your aspirations.
(1 Jn. 3:16; Mt. 6:33)

And there ya have it. Proof that God is faithful and good. Thank you, Jesus, for creating June Hunt and her ministry, and for using her to point us to you. :-) If you're struggling with this, I hope you'll take the time to meditate on what she has to say and more importantly on what God has to say in the Scriptures she's provided. That's what I plan on doing. I'll let you know how it goes. You should let me know how it goes too. :-)