The classic saying goes like this: “Always a bridesmaid,
never a bride.” Or as 27 Dresses puts it; “Always, Always, Always a Bridesmaid…”
This is the mantra of the chronically single, those who have
been unlucky in love or loveless; the ones who are repeated asked the question,
“Why are you still single?” or told “You need to get you a man/girlfriend”, as
if it was entirely dependent on one individual to have a successful
relationship.
Do you ever feel overlooked? Forgotten? Simply not seen? Or heard?
Despite your best efforts, you’re always on standby, waiting in the background,
the support system for the friends and loved ones who frequent the spotlight.
The sidelines aren’t always a lonely place. Sometimes the shadows
aren’t a place of quiet desperation, but of contentment and strength. It can be
a place of respite and perspective. Sometimes you are there with friends and
confidants; sometimes with understanding strangers.
There is a hope in the waiting. Seasons of waiting show one’s
true character; how one responds when life doesn’t work out how they wanted or
when they wanted reveals their capacity for patience and where their hope truly
lies. To everything there is a season and a purpose under heaven. Times of
waiting are temporary, change will come and with it, its own challenges. The season
of waiting will then be worth it, and strengthening, if you let it.
Being single comes with its own sets of challenges,
predominantly in the expectations department. The expectations you have for
yourself or that you think other people have for you can be the weight of the
world on your shoulders. Singleness can be the shackles on your feet or the
freedom to dance. It’s your choice.
And for those of us who choose Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,
there is a promise; a guarantee that singleness is only a season. I have
planned my wedding ceremony and reception for a long time. The picture changes
as I get older yet pales in comparison to the one I’m promised.
The music? Try: A live band. Trumpets from heaven.
The dance floor? Try: Streets paved with gold.
The groom? You want a bada** with the body of a god? Try:
God, himself! Surrounded by fire, carrying a double-edged sword, tattooed with
Lord of lords and King of kings
A grand entrance? Try: trumpets sounding, surrounded by fire,
your groom literally descending from the clouds on a white horse
Until death do us part? Try: for eternity.
I couldn’t have written it better myself. Forget my story… I
want to be a part of His story
