It can be a little tough to be single in today’s society. Every time you open a social media app, “relationship goals” are thrown in your face and someone else is getting engaged. Don’t get me wrong, I love to see my friends happy, but sometimes it just feels like a bit much. With this surrounding us 24/7, it can be hard to sit back and wait patiently for God’s plan to unfold in our lives. Ruth, one of the leading ladies of the Old Testament, spent some time as a single woman. Even after she lost her husband and moved to a new land with her mother-in-law, she fully relied on God and His plan for her life. We can look to her actions to help guide ourselves through the waters of singleness.
Stay Faithful
When Ruth was left without a husband to care for her, Naomi urged her to “go back to your mother’s home” (Ruth 1:8). Ruth had every right to return to her parents’ home where she would have been taken care of and possibly have found another husband. Instead, Ruth decided to stay faithful to Naomi, saying “where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God”(Ruth 1:16).
In a similar way, let us not become so caught up in pursuing a partner that we forget to be faithful to the people already in our lives. Just because we are searching for a significant other does not mean we have a free pass to neglect the current relationships in our lives. I pray I will never become so wrapped up in my own wants and needs that I forget to serve God and those around me.
Work Hard
When living with Naomi in Bethlehem, Ruth had to work from dawn to dusk to support them both (Ruth 2:2-177). She didn’t sit around and pine for what was no longer hers. Ruth moved on and learned how to navigate the struggles of her new life; she didn’t just wait for another man to come and take care of her. She was proactive, working hard to make life better for herself and Naomi.
Taking a page out of Ruth’s book, let us try to spend our time working hard in our lives now instead of waiting on someone else to share it with. Be diligent in your tasks. Don’t sit by and wait for another person to join you, but be proactive and work hard in your life now. God will reward hard work. This does not mean He will bless you with a significant other as soon as you start following His will for your life, but you will find contentment in intimacy with Him, rather than exerting all your energy searching for intimacy with another.
Be Content
Ruth was prepared to live with and support Naomi for the rest of her life, “where you die, there I will be buried” (Ruth 1:17). She accepted the life she thought God had in store for her without complaint. I’m sure it was not what she would have picked out for herself, but she accepted God’s plan.
God does not accidentally let anything happen to us. He has placed us exactly where we are for a reason. Even though it may not seem it, He is working in your life. God is always on your side and will work things out for your good. When God works things out for our good, it is not always what we pray for. In Hebrews 11, the author tells how, sometimes, God strengthens believers and gives them the ability to do great things, “…through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice…who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword” (Hebrews 11:33). But sometimes, God working for our good means going through some pretty tough times, “some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment… destitute, persecuted and mistreated” (Hebrews 11:35). God may be calling you to be single for your lifetime because you can better serve Him single than with a spouse. Even though it is not what you want for yourself, God still has your best interest at heart. Be content in His promise. Be happy where you are. The next step you are waiting on will come one day, but for now, God is working in your life while you wait.
Listen to Others
While Ruth was living with Naomi, she went out to the fields to glean grain every day. By doing this, she was the one supplying food for the family. Ruth had every right to not to listen to Naomi and think she had it all together. Instead, Ruth completely submitted her life to her mother-in-law and listened to her advice. Even in situations Ruth might have been uncomfortable with, she obeyed Naomi (Ruth 3:5).
When we first become independent individuals, we tend to think we have it all together and ignore the advice of others. But let’s be real, we still really need that help from mom and dad. Even though it is easy to think we are the only ones who know what it is like to be in our shoes, other people have a pretty good guess as well. They, too, have spent years trying to figure out exactly how to pay taxes and what a fair rate is to rent a home. While we wait on the next phase of our life, let us not forget to listen to those who have been in our situation before. Hear those who have encouragement and follow their advice.
Ruth definitely went through some tough times in her life. Through it all, she was loyal to God and He rewarded her faithfulness. In her times of being single, Ruth did not put her life on hold. God rewarded her with both earthly and spiritual rewards. Ruth soon found a husband, Boaz (Ruth 4), and eventually became the great-grandmother of King David. God rewarded Ruth’s faithfulness to him and He will surely see yours too. Wait patiently for His plan to unfold, for it will be far greater than anything we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
