"The unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:33-35).
I've been very convicted about my attention and mindset recently. And by recently, I mean like the past year. But alas, here I am, still struggling against the same sins.
There are so many assumptions in the Bible that I fail to match up to. Paul here assumes that the unmarried woman is anxious about the Lord with undivided devotion to Him. How is it, then, that when I'm not intentionally thinking about the Lord, I don't think about the Lord? It actually takes a good bit of effort for me to concentrate my mind on things above, but it is commanded. The Psalms are filled with verses about thinking of the Lord day and night. About delighting in thoughts of Him.
Here's where my idolatry and pride come in:
Instead of constantly being "anxious about things of the Lord", namely "how to be holy in body and spirit," I feel anxious about my future. Why? When has anything I planned ever come out exactly the way I imagined? I look back at the wonderful, gracious sovereignty of the Lord over my past and am filled with gratitude. Looking forward, that gratitude dims. I feel as though I will fail. Everything will fail. And that I just want to go Home because trusting Him on earth is really hard.
As if trusting in myself were easier, less stressful.
It is a great and glorious thing to trust in the Lord! There is freedom and peace; indeed, "in His presence there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11).
As if trusting in myself were easier, less stressful.
It is a great and glorious thing to trust in the Lord! There is freedom and peace; indeed, "in His presence there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11).
I think to myself that my life would just make a lot more sense if I were married. I have this desire to serve a husband, to honor and respect him, to be loved by him for Jesus's Name's sake (Ephesians 5:25, 33). And those are good things, Biblical things. But if they are not in the will of the Lord for me now, no matter how badly I desire them or even how good those activities are, they would not be in my best interest. So, because the "Lord works out all things for my good", if something I want isn't happening: praise the Lord! I can trust that whatever He does bring about will be far better (Romans 8:28)!
But it's difficult to walk step by step in that truth. It's hard not to wander, to doubt. Certainly that is the plan of the enemy and has been since he stirred up doubt in Eve regarding the goodness of the commands and providence of the Lord while in the Garden of Eden.
So how do we fight against him?
1. Remember that "if you do not stand firm in faith, you will not stand at all" (Isaiah 7:9). Christian, know that "it is God Who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). No matter how badly we want to be holy, God wants that for us even more, and He is sustaining us throughout our lifelong fight of "conformation into the image of the Son" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Though we do not have the ability to please Him on our own, He gives us strength as we put in the effort to train ourselves to be faithful in prayer and to His Word.
We need constantly to direct our thoughts toward Him and to take each of them captive to make them obedient to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). When we stop feeding ourselves Truth, it gets progressively more difficult to discern it from lies. We start reverting to our former ways in the world instead of "being transformed by the renewal of [our] minds" because that renewal is not a one-time thing; it is a daily effort (Romans 12:2). To daily fill our minds with the Word so we can hold what we see and hear up to what the Lord has spoken.
We need constantly to direct our thoughts toward Him and to take each of them captive to make them obedient to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). When we stop feeding ourselves Truth, it gets progressively more difficult to discern it from lies. We start reverting to our former ways in the world instead of "being transformed by the renewal of [our] minds" because that renewal is not a one-time thing; it is a daily effort (Romans 12:2). To daily fill our minds with the Word so we can hold what we see and hear up to what the Lord has spoken.
In addition to prayer and the Bible, God has also given us His Holy Spirit, Who will "teach [us] all things and bring to [our] remembrance all that [Christ] has said" and Who convicts us when we stray (John 14:26). For we are "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that [we] should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
2. "Take up the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6).
We must be clothed with truth, righteousness, and the Gospel. Protect ourselves with faith. Have the mind of Christ. Be armed with the Word of God. And do all these things while being "constant in prayer,"-- not prayer for ourselves only but for all the saints who are battling alongside us, protecting them also as we see danger coming toward them, working with one purpose as Christ has made us one in His salvation.
3. Talk about your current opportunities. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." And the best part: "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19). By wrapping the command up with the promise of His presence, He reminds us that we need Him in order to accomplish the things He desires for us to do. That power will include giving you the grace to stand up against the lust and loneliness that often come with being single.
Instead of spending so much time talking about your desire to be in a romantic relationship, focus on the relationships God does have you in today-- family, friends, coworkers, classmates, mentors and mentees. Focus your conversations on things you can be doing now, not only on your hopes for tomorrow. Find ways to serve others, being generous with your attention, your money, and your time. That is how to be anxious about the things of the Lord.
Instead of spending so much time talking about your desire to be in a romantic relationship, focus on the relationships God does have you in today-- family, friends, coworkers, classmates, mentors and mentees. Focus your conversations on things you can be doing now, not only on your hopes for tomorrow. Find ways to serve others, being generous with your attention, your money, and your time. That is how to be anxious about the things of the Lord.
Doing all these things with "undivided devotion" is a long process that requires a lot of effort. And I have a lot more effort to go. But it is the Lord working in me to want it, and He will not relent.
"Now may the God of peace Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever." (Hebrews 13:20)
"To Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24)