Ecclesiastes 3:1-5
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
One of the difficult challenges for the single Christian is dealing with the dual truths that sex is a gift from God, but is a gift reserved for marriage. It can feel unfair to hear about this wonderful feature that you are not supposed to enjoy. But as Ecclesiastes reminds us, there are different seasons of our life. As verse 5 says, there is "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing". I don't think that this verse is purposely referring to sexual intimacy, but I do think it applies there as well. There are seasons to refrain from sexual affection, and there are seasons to embrace it. Neither is more godly than the other, and we need to be content with whatever season of life we are in.
Heavenly Father, help me to accept and be content with the season of life that I am in now.
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
One of the difficult challenges for the single Christian is dealing with the dual truths that sex is a gift from God, but is a gift reserved for marriage. It can feel unfair to hear about this wonderful feature that you are not supposed to enjoy. But as Ecclesiastes reminds us, there are different seasons of our life. As verse 5 says, there is "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing". I don't think that this verse is purposely referring to sexual intimacy, but I do think it applies there as well. There are seasons to refrain from sexual affection, and there are seasons to embrace it. Neither is more godly than the other, and we need to be content with whatever season of life we are in.
Heavenly Father, help me to accept and be content with the season of life that I am in now.