Forget “ring by spring!” Singleness is a good thing

Corban junior Samantha McFall shares how single students should be content and view singleness as a blessing.

Corban’s cliche of “ring by spring” is becoming more prevalent as the season fast approaches. For those students who don’t have any dating prospects on the horizon, it is easy to become depressed and fill your sorrows with ice cream and chocolate, right? Wrong. It is so sad that people think this way! People need to learn that singleness is a blessing from God.

The apostle Paul says, “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife — and his interests are divided.  An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.  I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:32-35).

As a single person, I can serve the Lord in however I feel him guiding me.  I don’t have to worry about another person and how their life will fit into my own.  If the Lord is leading me to Africa, all I have to do is go.  I am not trying to say I never want a husband, or that married couples cannot serve God also. However, it is safe to say that single people can serve in ways that married couples might find it harder.

Rushing into relationships is wrong. When I have try to take control of my life rather than listen to God, things do not work out. That is because what God has planned for his children will always be better than what we try to get for ourselves. Don’t settle for less. It is okay to be picky about the kind of husband or wife you want someday, and trust God to reveal that person at the proper time.

Many people at Corban view singleness almost as a disorder.  But the culture of Corban does not always match up with the reality of life.  In a survey done on Theknot.com, the average age of a groom is 31 and the average age of a bride is 29.  So, if – heaven forbid –you are not married by 20 or you don’t have a ring by spring, don’t fret! Be patient, pray and make the best of the wonderful gift of singleness to serve the Lord and grow closer to Him.

Being single, however, does NOT mean guys and girls should not intermingle.  I grew up in public school and had many guy friends.  I was not romantically interested in them, and they were not interested in me, but it was fun to be around them.  When I came to Corban, it was shocking how little guys and girls spent time with each other. I never saw a group of guys and girls eating together, walking together and hardly ever talking together.  The only time I saw that is when they were dating.

I wish that could change.  I wish that when I am caught talking to a guy, everyone plus their mom does not assume that we are all of a sudden dating. That is not how a church made of brothers and sisters in Christ should react.

To those people who are engaged or married already, congratulations!  Marriage is a beautiful gift from God.

But so is being single.