The Single Life: Ep. 2: Singleness Is a Gift: Embrace Your Season

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast, where we pray bold prayers,

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walk in bold faith, and expect a bold God to show up.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and we open every episode with the same unshakable

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confidence Jabez had in 1 Chronicles 4.10.

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Lord, bless me indeed, enlarge my territory, let your hand be with me,

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keep me from evil, and keep me from causing pain. And the Bible says,

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God granted his request.

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So if you're here today, get ready, because we're praying big,

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believing big, and walking in everything God promised. Let's begin.

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Hello, and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman's Podcast.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and we are continuing our series,

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The Single Life According to the Bible.

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In our last episode, we talked about your body is not your own.

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And today, we are in episode two. And this episode is called Singleness is a Gift.

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Now, this one will shift your perspective. So let's get into it.

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Our foundational scripture for episode two is 1 Corinthians 7,

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7, and it reads, I wish that all you were as I am, but each of you has your own gift from God.

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One has this gift and another has that.

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Another scripture says, there is a time for everything and a season for every

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activity under heaven. Is he asked 631?

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Psalms 84 11 tells us that no good thing does he withhold from those who walk.

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Is blameless. And then finally in Psalms 138 verse 8, the Lord will perfect that which concerns me.

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And so we see here that God is telling us that we have our own gift.

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And the title is Singleness is a Gift.

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So if you are single, you have to consider yourself a gift.

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Now what's a gift? We'll get into it, but you're wrapped up until someone,

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God gives permission to unwrap you, to cover you, to protect you.

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But we have to know that for everything, there's a season and activity under

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heaven and that God has something for those who walk is blameless and that he

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will perfect anything that concerns me.

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Devotional insight. Paul does something unexpected.

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He calls singleness a gift. This challenges one of the most common beliefs about this season.

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Many view singleness as a delay, a waiting period, or something that needs to be fixed.

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But scripture does not support that perspective.

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If God calls something a gift, then it cannot also be a punishment.

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This means singleness is not evidence that something is missing.

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It's evidence that something has been and trusted.

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Every gift requires stewardship.

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And just like marriage requires commitment, responsibility, and intentionality, so does singleness.

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My question to you is, what do you do with a gift?

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A gift is not something you rush. It's something you receive.

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Unwrap, and steward at the right time. If it is open too early.

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It is no longer enjoyed as intended. If it is mishandled, it can be damaged

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before its purpose is ever fulfilled.

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This is why many misunderstand both singleness and relationships.

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Because while Paul calls singleness a gift, the scripture also shows us that

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a woman is a gift given to a man as a wife.

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Proverbs 18.22 makes that clear. It reads, he who finds a wife finds a good

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thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

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A wife is not something to be prematurely accessed.

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She is not a role to be stepped into before the time. She is a gift revealed in proper season.

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The danger of a premature unwrapping.

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One of the most common errors is trying to experience what belongs to marriage

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while still in singleness.

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And that includes emotional intimacy without a covenant, physical connection

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without commitment, acting in the role of a spouse without the covering of a marriage.

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The Song of Solomon tells us in chapter 2 verse 7, don't do not arouse or awaken

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love until it's so desired. The scripture is not a suggestion, it is a warning.

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Love, when awakened too early, creates attachments that are not sustained,

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expectations that are not fulfilled, and wounds that are never meant to form.

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Spiritual insight, when something is opening for its time, it is often misused.

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Misunderstood, or mishandled.

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In the same way, a relationship entered too early can lead to confusion.

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Access given too freely can lead to emotional damage.

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Roles assumed too soon can lead to imbalance.

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Proverbs 22.3 tells us that the prudent sees danger and take refuge,

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but the simple keeps going and paying the penalty.

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God's order matters. God is intentional about order and timing.

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First come identity, then responsibility, then covenant.

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Not the other way around. When order is ignored, confusion follows.

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For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

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1 Corinthians 14, 33. A real life example.

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Consider two women. One is single. She has time, flexibility,

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and ability to focus on her growth, her purpose, and her relationship with God.

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The other is married, managing a household responsibility, financial pressure,

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and the weight of shared life decisions.

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The married woman says, enjoy your freedom while you can.

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The single woman says, I just want what you have. Both are looking at each other's

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lives, believing the other has something better. What does this reveal?

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We often mislabel our seasons because we do not understand its purpose.

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Comparison distorts clarity. Instead of asking, what has God given me in this season?

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We ask, why don't I have what they have?

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They measure themselves by themselves, are not wise, according to 2 Corinthians 10-12.

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Spiritual reality, your season is not random, it is a sign.

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And if God has allowed you to be in this season when it carries purpose,

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provision, and grace, for everything there is a season, Ecclesiastic 3 and 1,

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God does not withhold good, he releases it in order.

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The modern struggle of singleness, feeling behind because you are not married.

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Comparing timelines through social media, Believing singleness equals lack or delay.

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But the truth is, the blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

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Proverbs 10.22 What God gives does not come with confusion, pressure, or striving.

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The gift of singleness is not in the status.

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It's in the grace for the season you are in. A gift mishandled loses its value.

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A gift opens too early, loses its purpose.

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But a gift received in the right season brings blessing, clarity,

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and peace. Questions for you to reflect on.

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Have I viewed my singleness as a gift or as a burden?

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Have I attempted to unwrap something God has not yet released?

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In what ways have I compared my life instead of sturning what God has given me? Let's pray.

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Lord, help me to see this season the way you see it. Remove my mindset that

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tells me I'm lacking or behind.

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Teach me to steward what you have given me with the wisdom and patience.

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Guard my heart from premature attachments and misaligned connections.

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Prepare me so that when the.

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Time comes. I receive your gift the right way in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Let's decree some things here. My singleness is a gift, not a punishment.

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I will not open what God has not yet released.

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I walk in God's timing and divine order. I reject comparison and embrace my assignment.

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I will steward this season with wisdom, patience.

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I hope that this episode has spoken to you, has challenged you,

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and gave you something that you can't apply.

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Take time to reflect on it and take it back to God.

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Remember, you are a gift and do not open anyone open or you open it before it's time.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and this is Diary of a Black Woman Podcast,

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and I'll see you on the next episode.

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Family, thank you for spending this time with me today. To every woman listening

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who has ever felt hidden, overlooked, or pushed aside, I want you to hear me clearly.

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God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.

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That's why I moved everything to our new home on pod page, so you would have

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one place to connect with me, read the devotionals, listen to the podcast,

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and reach out whenever you need to.

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If you want to leave me a message, send an email, or simply find encouragement,

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it's all there at diaryofablackwomanllc.com.

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And if this podcast has blessed you and you want to support the work I'm doing,

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you'll find a buy me, a coffee link on the site as well.

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No pressure, just love and community. Before we leave, I want to speak the word

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that I close with every time because somebody needs this reminder today.

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It comes from Jeremiah 29 11 14.

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I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and

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not to harm you, plans to give you hope in a future, then you will call upon

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me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.

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You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

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I will be found by you, declares the Lord.

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Beloved, God has a plan for your life, a real one, a good one.

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And as long as you keep seeking him, you will find him even from the hidden places. I love you.

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I'm praying for you, and I'll meet you next time.