(Guest post by: Bob Wheatley)
If you’ve ever asked, “Why am I still single?” — I get it.
For years, I believed singleness was something I needed to escape. Like a difficult job or an airport layover, I figured this season was meant to be endured, not enjoyed. I told myself, Once I meet the right person, my life will begin.
But that logic led to a lot of disappointment and, eventually, to a life-changing realization:
The season I was trying so hard to avoid might be one of God’s greatest blessings.
The shift in me started with a single passage — one I didn’t particularly like at the time. In 1 Corinthians 7, the apostle Paul writes this:
“To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am … I say this for your own benefit… to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” -1 Corinthians 7:8, 35 ESV
These words from Paul did not sit well with me. I didn’t understand them. How could singleness ever be “good” for somebody?
Sure, maybe the apostle Paul could say that. After all, he had encountered Jesus face-to-face on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). According to most scholars, it was he who had been caught up into the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12). He was one of the greatest disciples to ever live.
Of course Paul didn’t need a spouse to feel fulfilled, I would think to myself. But what about the rest of us? What about those of us who go home to a quiet apartment? What about those who have to sit through weddings, wondering if and when it will ever be our turn?
Still, his words wouldn’t leave me. It is good to remain single, as I am. And then, something unexpected happened — I decided to take Paul at his word.
What if our singleness is an advantage?
What I began to realize is that I hadn’t truly surrendered this part of my life to God. I was willing to obey Him, just as long as the story ended the way I wanted. But God doesn’t work like that.
He’s more interested in who we’re becoming than in simply giving us the things that we ask for.
And in my case, my season of singleness became God’s classroom.
Here’s what l’ve learned along the way:
1. Singleness strips away distractions.
It’s not that married people can’t grow spiritually — but their lives are shared, their time is split, and their priorities divided. That is not the case for a single person. As singles, we have the time and space to seek our God, and much more so than our friends who are married.
2. Singleness strengthens your soul.
Let’s be real: a season of singleness can often be painful. There’s nothing easy about unmet desires. But I’ve also learned that God often does His deepest work in our discomfort.
Singleness, in one sense, is a form of training. It exposes our idols. It deepens our dependence on God. And in the end, it shapes us into someone who looks a little more like Jesus.
3. Singleness prepares you for your calling.
Without the commitments of a spouse or family, you have the complete freedom to chase God’s call on your life. Whether it’s ministry, travel, or discipleship, there’s agility and space for a person that’s single. Singleness is not a consolation prize, it is the assignment God has given you right now.
So then, let me ask you:
If you find yourself in a season of singleness, are you ready to seize your advantage?
Can you see what God is doing in you?
Can you imagine what God might choose to do through you?
Praise God for your season of singleness!
P. S. Bob is the #1 Bestselling Author of Single-Minded: Finding Purpose & Strength in Your Season of Singleness. Click HERE to download his entire audiobook, completely free. We hope you enjoy it!
The Few 
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