Singleness is a circumstance, not my identity

As I prepare to move my life overseas for 3 years, my mind has been full. That's to be expected; but one thought in particular has consumed much of my conscious processing time - "By choosing to move to Prague, I've closed the door for good on marriage." As I've been processing this statement, I went through a few stages, but here's what I landed on. 

First of all, who am I to make those kind of statements?!? In Romans 9, Paul makes it clear that the clay doesn't tell the potter what to do or what it should be. He's talking about how Israel will always be His chosen people, but by His mercy, we were grafted into the plan. It really hits home, in verse 23, with a reason why we are designed in a certain way or given certain circumstances: "And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory".

Singleness is a circumstance, not an identity. The weight of my "closed door" statement showed me that I have forced my un-attachment to a level that it doesn't belong, defining myself by my situation, making being single an idol in my life. In Matt Chandler's book, To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain, he says this on page 144: "Because of Christ's work, we have been rescued from the idolatry of earthly things. Our God is the one true God and in Him we have total satisfaction and eternal security." I am a daughter of the King. I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. I am the bride of Christ. Being single is merely a prop I can use to tell the real story - His story. 

What's more, singleness isn't even my real story. It's not who I am. I'm kicking myself for focusing on that part of my statement. How about the part where it says I'm moving to Prague!?!?! This move is opening the door to knowing The Lord more deeply and more intimately; to cultivating relationships globally; to reaching nations for His glory. And when the loneliness comes (which I happen to know it comes for the married people too): "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39) 

So, this morning, I'm writing a new thought, a new statement: This move will reveal how to dive deeper into the ocean of God's love and grace, unafraid of what lies ahead because He is my Sustainer and my Protector.