Keep believing: Use hope as your reason to get up in the morning
When you keep believing that good things are going to happen in your life, it helps you recognize them when they do occur.
I'm not talking about the Law of Attraction or the Prosperity Gospel. So much baloney!
No, I'm saying we singles tend to take for granted all the good things we already have, and we downplay happy events because we've been programmed to always be looking for something earth-shaking.
Keep believing in yourself
It's sad that some churches are so obsessed with stamping out pride that they go overboard, driving people into low self-worth.
I find it especially reprehensible when pastors focus on marriage so much that unmarried folks in their church feel ashamed to be single. Week after week they sit there listening to the virtues of the family and of being a good parent, and it never occurs to this inconsiderate pastor that half his flock is single, widowed, or divorced.
Yikes!
I'm here to tell you that in light of this kind of pressure and all the negative messages from society, it's crucial that you keep believing in yourself. This isn't excessive pride. It's healthy self-esteem.
One of the reasons I started this site was to encourage single people to keep believing in themselves. Sometimes you may have to come back and read these articles three, four, or a half dozen times before they sink in.
Learn to look in the bathroom mirror and say (since there's nobody around to think you're wacky) "I've done a lot of great things in the past. I've accomplished things I never thought I could have. And I will do a lot of great things in the future!"
Keep believing in opportunities
They used to say that America was the land of opportunity, but thanks to the Internet and other advances, now that's true all over the world.
But it's not just business or career opportunities. It's the opportunity right in your community to reach out to someone who needs help. It's the opportunity to make a new friend. It's the opportunity to learn and study and continue your education.
Internet dating did not exist when I was younger--shoot, home computers didn't even exist when I was in my 20s. Granted, it's a minefield and there are lots of liars and jerks out there, but if you wade through the weeds, maybe you'll find a flower.
Always protect yourself. Go slowly.
If we singles open ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he will show us opportunities we wouldn't have recognized on our own. He'll prod and prompt us, then give us the courage to act. What a wonderful gift to have him watching out for us!
Keep believing in God
For many singles, having faith in God is the hardest part of life. We've all been disappointed. Many singles feel God has let them down or even abandoned them.
A sad but common feeling is that God is punishing us for some unconfessed sin by preventing us from getting married. Wrong! He just doesn't operate that way, and don't believe anyone who tells you he does.
As I've often said, feelings are not facts. Trust in God, no matter how you feel. Read your Bible to get the truth on how God feels about you.
No matter what the world says, no matter what your feelings say, no matter what Satan whispers to you on those long, lonely nights, be stubborn.
Keep believing in God. His love for you is real, it's powerful, and it's forever.
