Single All the Way

Single at Christmas? Fear not, with a little mistletoe and a cup of cheer, you will soon find yourself swept into the arms of a charming stranger, ready to never spend another Christmas alone.

That’s what all the holiday movies assure us, anyway. But life tends to prove otherwise.

While it may seem silly or even humiliating, it’s completely natural to feel particularly lonely at Christmas, even if you are normally secure in your singleness. The media screams at us that the holidays are meant for togetherness, so where’s your partner already?

Perhaps the problem is that this message isn’t completely false. The birth of Jesus brought people together from around the world, each experiencing and celebrating His arrival in their own way.

But when we really think about that faithful night, the glitter and glitz falls away. The story begins with a man and his wife who were “behind” those in their generation by not being parents. Then we find a young couple who were faced with sudden difficulties, yet persevered through their trust in God. We meet stinky shepherds, outcasts in society, elevated to the first proclaimers of the good news. Later on, we are inspired by the wise men, who were likely thought of as eccentric rather than brilliant.

Maybe our cast would’ve been the ones without dates to gatherings, the uninvited guests, the ones “still” without kids to celebrate Christmas with, or the socially awkward relatives. Maybe they would’ve grown up as the wallflowers, the last picked on the team, or the nerds. Maybe they didn’t feel like their belonged either.

Despite how you might feel, whether there’s an empty place beside you at the table or in your heart, you are not a failure for not being in a romantic relationship, no matter your age or position or faith.

Most of all, being single doesn’t mean you are alone this holiday season.

God knows exactly who you need and He will guarantee that you connect with those people. Perhaps you are meant to be married someday, and if so, God has that person picked out for you and wants you to use this time to prepare your heart for the next stage of your life. Or maybe you will be content with independent living and God will surround you with friends and family who will love you.

Either way is okay. You are not worth any less no matter how your life plays out.

This Christmas, instead of feeling sorry for yourself over your relationship status, consider it one of those “blessings amidst pain” moments. We may be able to experience the Christmas story in a whole new light when we realize what we have in common with God’s unlikely chosen. ❤

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.

1 Corinthians 7:17