Friday, September 19, 2014

Single or not really single.. Ladies, this is for you.

I know how it goes.

Were just friends.
Its not like that.
We haven't made anything official.
He hasn't even said he likes me or anything like that.

Ladies... (not that Im sure I have a large base of men who read my blog any way) this is for you.

I know the feeling of no commitment, "Safe Flirting". I heard these freeing words for the first time when I was 16 years old and they changed my life. FINALLY, it is ok for me to have more guy friends than girls, we get along better any way (... duh). Its ok to have my sushi guy friend, my movie guy friend, and my random texting guy friendS and well pretty much doesn't matter what, because we are FRIENDS. Nothing more, not with benefits just the regular kind.

Before I go too far into this blog, I am not here to tackle the issues of dating or commitment to a specific relationship. Who I am looking for is the girl like I have been so many times in and right out of high school. Who pretends she is single, but in reality has more emotional crutches sustaining her need for attention and approval, all in a desperate and LOTS of times unconscious need for love.

See I have done "single" several ways in my life. The kind like the few paragraphs up where I had tons of guy friends but no commitments and then I have done,

S.I.N.G.L.E. the real kind.

Heres how that goes... No texts at the end of the day, lots of girl friends (if you want to have a friend, thats your only option). Paying for every meal. Dinner alone, in public,with sweet old ladies starring with sadness in their eyes "Bless her Heart"s resounding in the whispers all around. Movies alone. Pumping your own gas late at night watching all the dark corners, just to be sure you could get a straight on mental picture if the boogie man ran after you. The kind of single that I am talking about is void of emotional love bucket fills. Its lonely nights.

What has always bothered me about being "fake single" is that it's a poor woman's excuse to get pity. As if she is unwanted or lesser than her peers, who are dating or "basically married"... Until you are alone, with you and God and you have had the real dirty conversations with Him. That sounds more like a screaming monologue. Wondering where He may be as well has the he, that should have shown up long ago. Questioning if single hood is the doom poured out on you for the mistakes and sins of the past. Asking those closest to you to, "Be honest, I don't care if you hurt my feelings. What am I doing wrong." If you haven't been THERE, then you are absolutely missing out on maybe one of the hardest, most frustrating and possibly sweetest moments of life.

Yes, the sweetest.

You see, that girl right there. She is experiencing Christ. She is holding fast to the truth of a loving Father that will never leave her. A friend that sticks closer than family. And a lover that her soul will never match. She is seeking and only able to find JESUS.

I remember those days, crying out to the Lord wondering if His promises are true. Did I make it up? Do I even know your voice?? But I have never been forgotten and He has never forsaken me. It was in those days and weeks and months and I know of years for sweet friends of mine, that Jesus has shown up. He has spoken the sweetest love songs to my heart. He walked me through trials and rejection. He held my hand and rejoiced with me on the top of insecurity and self doubt. He became enough. All that I needed and all that I wanted.

How could I ever trade that. That journey of single-ness for anything.

So instead of being "fake single" try doing it the real way. Kill the flesh and seek Jesus, alone. With out the emotional crutches that make you feel pretty or pay for dinner. And if you aren't ready for that, stop saying you're single. You aren't. Not in your heart, and thats the only place that really matters anyway.






My right now favorite passage.
Romans 8:31-39








3 comments:

  1. I might give this articole to some of the church teens. Awesome insight, Sarah!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice theoretical article. No practicalities here to work with, though. What do you do when you want to go out to dinner and Jesus doesn't show up to bank roll the event? (Sarcasm). Or you have been seeking God since your parents anoited you with that whoeh"age of accountability" thing and no man worth two shakes of balaams donkeys tail would approach you because they found you "intimidating"--whatever that means. I am just not seeing the practical steps here. The theory is graced in angelic glow though.

    Signed
    A 28 year old virgin who burns with practical needs and is tired of hearing "your man is just around the corner" or " your adam is still asleep". Wake his ass up, his rib has been ready.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess a simple blog couldn't really detail all of the things I wish I could say, coffee would be a better way to go about this. I know in a short sitting we probably couldn't go through each and every circumstance in your life or how to know why you are or how are you where life has brought you.
      I was really looking at mine and many women I have known struggles and hoping that some ladies I mentor will be avoiding that already traveled path that I have been on.

      I would encourage you to look at relationships different than you have before. Maybe the sitting and waiting thing is what we have grown to know and love bc of the "true love waits" generation we grew up in. Where if we are good enough and obedient enough then God will bless us. That isn't Biblical. All through out the Word of God are men who died for their faith, in complete obedience to the Lord.

      If you like someone is it wrong to tell them? I am just not so sure that the church has always done a great job teaching young women about the difference in being pursued and in being unavailable.

      My brother and sister in law have the story of being each others first date (my brother was 24) and first kiss and first love. But that is the exception not the norm. Thats not my story. And for a long time I thought I missed God bc I liked a guy. I just don't see it in the Bible, I don't know where you come from but Im praying for you. I pray you find a fierce love and that you have a beautiful story that only the Lord could right.

      Delete