Balloons

Hi Ladies,

There is always a good reason when God doesn’t permit us to move forward in a relationship.  It’s never His plan for us to become mired in a miserable marriage or one which will end in divorce.  If you’ve experienced an unwanted breakup, instead of mourning the “loss”, the best response is to trust the Lord, and stop trying to second guess Him or “fix” things.

The good news is that as long as there is breath in our limbs, Father is not finished with us.  Accept that He doesn’t make mistakes, not now, not in the past, nor in the future.  It’s time to discard the old, and stop dragging around false beliefs that shackle you to bygone years and long-gone people.  Instead of clinging to the image of a man you’ll never marry, allow the Lord to guide you on the path HE has set out for you.  “Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3).  If there is a God-ordained husband in your future, you will only meet him on God’s path.

Now let’s consider another attitudinal pattern that can hinder you from releasing your joy…

Discontentment:

Discontent is unfortunately a natural state for many people.  The enemy can lure us into squandering our lives, focusing on wrong priorities.  According to Proverbs 15:15, “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.”  But far from being merry, we dissipate time being dissatisfied with our face, hair, body, job, home, car, friends, children, church, bank account, or the husband we have, or the husband we don’t have.  That’s the problem with discontentment – it tends to become a chronic state.  No matter our blessings, there always seems to be something better out there that others have, and we don’t.  Being discontent becomes a repetitive cycle where whatever is ours never seems quite good enough.

This attitude is especially common in marriage.  For countless women, after praying and standing in faith for a mate, when God grants her petition, and after the first blush of infatuation has faded, she perceives that her man might not really be so wonderful after all.  Other women have husbands who’re better looking, who make more money, who are more spiritual, or who treat them like queens.  The fellow she was so thankful for, the one she prayed for and vowed to love and honor forever, becomes defective to her in some way.  She now feels she might’ve made a mistake and could do better if she had another chance.  The real problem, however, isn’t with the guy, certainly not if he was God’s choice, but with her chronic state of discontent.

When we experience an overall malaise, and apathy toward whatever we have, we could be exhibiting symptoms of “Never Enough” syndrome.  We must not be so eager to change our life that we neglect to be thankful for the gifts and opportunities present in our lives right at this moment.  Instead the biblical remedy for discontent is that we, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving” (Psalm 147:7) and shift our focus from ourselves to Him.

The truth is that if you are chronically dissatisfied, unhappy and anxious as a single, you will almost certainly be dissatisfied, unhappy and anxious as a wife.  Now is the time to gain control over negative perceptions.  Life is far more enjoyable when approached with joyous expectancy!  And with a positive outlook and willing submission, you can be used for the work of God’s Kingdom in an even greater way.

However, if an unsettled, disquieted attitude is actually based upon a belief that you can do more with your life, reflecting a willingness to strive hard to achieve your full potential, then it is not discontent – it is Vision.  You should move forward to reach every goal that Father has placed upon your heart.  He will show you the way, and when your path intersects with a husband, you’ll be ready to embrace him, and continue ahead.  Enjoy your life and enjoy your God!

Until next week…Joy and Shalom!

Jo Lynne Pool