Why are you still single?

Anyone who’s been single for a significant length of time has faced this question, and for each person the explanation is probably different. In my case, I believe God has asked me to be still and wait for him to provide a husband when the time is right.

I admit, being still is difficult because the odds of meeting an eligible, God-fearing man are against me due to the following factors:

• Age—We don’t need to discuss the actual number. 😉
• Profession—Teaching and writing don’t allow for meeting eligible men.
• Church—It’s small.

But let’s revisit times when there were plenty of men in my life.

• College—I graduated from a Christian university.
• Church—I used to attend a large church with a 20’s group.
• Online dating—Been there, done that, have the funny stories.

Even in these circumstances when the odds of meeting Mr. Right were far better than they are now, I never did. Not long ago, when I was praying about my situation and reminding God that the current odds don’t look good, it occurred to me that God isn’t concerned with odds.

He cares about obedience.

God reminded me of the story of Gideon (Judges 6-8). The Midianites had conquered Israel when God raised up Gideon to lead the Israelites in defeating the Midianites. However, God told Gideon he had too many men. Starting with a field of 32,000 men, God had Gideon whittle the number down to a mere 300. With trumpets and broken jars, these men confused and defeated the Midianites.

Why only three hundred men? The Lord gave an explanation in Judges 7:2.

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’

Imagine if Gideon had disobeyed and decided the odds of winning the battle were better with 32,000 men. Human logic tells us that strategy makes more sense, but if Gideon had tried to fight his own way, he and his men probably would’ve been soundly defeated. However, Gideon obeyed, and the victory belonged to the Lord.

Sometimes God puts us in situations because he wants to write a story where there is no question that the glory belongs to him. There’s no other explanation except God’s guiding hand and intervention.

While I’m still and waiting for God, I know that if he chooses to bring a man into my life, it will be because I trusted and obeyed his directions to be still—and not because the odds were in my favor.