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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Desire (01/17/05)
“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4 NIV)

The godly couple has faithfully claimed this promise on my behalf for almost two decades. They’ve taken it upon themselves to persuade God to give me a husband!

The long-awaited day has come. I walk down the aisle, head held high, feeling beautiful, heart warmed as I see that look of love and pride in his eyes. Can this gorgeous girl really be his? It’s true. I reach the front of the church. The atmosphere is perfect. This is a match made in heaven. Even the videographer swears that there is an angel present, and catches on film the dandelion fluff floating in the shaft of sunlight during the vows. Surely today God’s promise has been fulfilled – desires have been granted. This is a day to celebrate God’s goodness, and I’m excited and proud to stand in the limelight of my dear friend … one with whom I’ve shared so many of my own struggles, hopes, and desires over the years. Today, God has granted her the desires of her heart and I’m sure angels truly are present and celebrating with us. As the happy couple leave for a tropical island, I take a long, lonely walk along the beach, the sky black with an approaching storm, and yet again scream silently to my heavenly Father, “Haven’t I delighted in you enough? What about me?”

Those dear friends continue to faithfully pray, “Lord, grant her the desires of her heart as she delights herself in you.” My days and nights are very busy with so many different activities – all good activities, all activities that I’ve sought and received God’s direction about and all activities which I thoroughly enjoy. What a year … but finally things slow down as the year draws to a close and I have time to stop and contemplate.

Taking out my journal, I begin to write, reflecting on the year behind, and pondering all that may be ahead. I stay up late writing because of a spark of inspiration gained while luxuriating in a scented hot bubble bath. I can sleep late tomorrow. Christmas celebrations come and I thoroughly enjoy the children in the family … but happily call on their parents when things get tricky or messy. The post-Christmas sales come, and I spend my hard-earned dollars on pretty jewellery and books. As part of a hobby writing course, I meditate on the topic of contentment. It hits me like a lightning bolt … I really enjoy the single life.

My dear friend, a married woman now, is revelling in her new home, her new husband and her new life. She doesn’t complain about the mortgage or the many adjustments needed with step-children. The children in my own wider family are precious and I love them dearly. They are high maintenance though, providing plenty of opportunity for character building! I, on the other hand, make plans, and follow through on them. I put something down, and that is where it stays. I do what I want, when I want, how I want, spending what I want, without worrying about others.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4 NIV) I have sought to genuinely delight myself in the Lord, even when it has been a question of gritting my teeth and muttering, “I choose to rejoice in God” … and there have been those times along the way. My dear friends would still like to see me with a life-partner, and I’m not averse to them praying accordingly. In all the ‘single woman finds a husband’ testimonies, it is at this point of the girl having come to peace with singleness that Prince Charming reveals himself as such. That would be nice, but I’m honestly not worried.

It seems that God actually has been listening to the prayers of that wonderful couple. What is central isn’t the content of those desires, but rather the object of our delight and that is the Lord. For me, the single life is ‘the good life’, and I’m living it to the full, genuinely delighting in the Lord. The desires of my heart are finally following suit. Thanks be to God.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Debbie OConnor
01/25/05
Good for you! If only more single men and women would learn to enjoy their single lives. My memories of single-adulthood are among my happiest. It was a very special time of intimacy with God and freedom. I love marriage and family too, but I wish I had really treasured my single days while I lived them, instead of only being able to look back on them with fondness.
Deborah Anderson
01/29/05
Looks to me like you've grown content in whatever state you're in. That's a blessing. God bless you.