As written and presented by Mary Whelchel

PROGRAM D-6053

So far I've been talking to single women about our tendency to panic over the shortage of good Christian men, because most of us want to be married. And obviously, it takes an available man in order to have a wedding!

But you know, insisting that we have to be married in order to be happy demonstrates that we don't trust God. It shows we don't understand or really believe that he's a God of love, planning only what is good for us. We're afraid to trust him because who knows what he might do. He might never send us a Christian man-heaven forbid!

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11 ''For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you hope and a future.'' That's a good verse to quote when you start to think that the future is bleak because there aren't enough Christian men to go around. God has good plans for you, with or without a man or marriage.

You can know a totally fulfilling life when your life is filled up with Jesus Christ. He has promised us life abundant, and that's exactly what he has for you. You may be missing it altogether because you're looking for it in one place-a Christian man-and the Lord wants to deliver through another avenue. How often have I missed a blessing God had for me because I was dictating the terms to God, while he was trying to get me to see he had a better idea?

The scarcity of Christian men is not our major problem as single women. Our major problem is learning to trust God in every area of our lives. Most of our frustrations can be traced to our poor understanding of who God is, and to our failure to trust him completely. In my own life, I can see it at every turn. The more I know about God, the more I trust him. The more I trust him, the less I worry-about men or anything else. And the less I worry, the more I am contented and joyful and filled with the fullness of Jesus Christ.

As soon as I get away from that focus and fail to seek God with my whole heart, depression, discouragement, self-pity, and hopelessness start walking in the door, robbing me of contentment and peace.

It's not worth it! Please don't be fearful about the scarcity of Christian men. If your mind is focused on the shortage of Christian men, you may well miss the good things God's waiting to give you, because you're looking in the wrong place.

As a single woman, Mary is familiar with the pitfalls that ensnare single Christians. In her book Common Mistakes Singles Make she understands and offers non-compromising, biblical solutions for singles. This week she is offering the book at a special price of $5. Call the ministry at 1-800-292-1218 or go online to www.christianworkingwoman.org to order.

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