Any of you who are single know what I mean by the title. This weekend was one of those "Singleness Sucks" weekends. I'm just being real! People have families, people have husbands/boyfriends, people have lives. For those of us who are single, long weekends are often hard. There is just too much time to feel lonely and dwell on the fact that we are alone. People are busy living their lives and those plans often don't include us. Sure, if I had the money, I would travel on long weekends, but I don't. I'm thankful that I volunteered in the Nursery on Saturday and my friends prayed for me. I'm thankful for my Women's Group that met last night, and I'm thankful I have a friend who invited me to go to a movie with her today. It was a funny movie and nice to have Company! Then I came home and found this devotion on the internet. God knows my longings and understands my loneliness, but most of all He wants to be the one to fulfill my longings.
I'm hoping this devotion can help you, whether you are married or single.
Our Longings, God's Fulfillment
Compiled by Fern Horst
Devotion Found on singleness.org
We have many God-given longings that we'd like to have fulfilled. We often think that they can be fulfilled only by another human being. While God does use other humans to demonstrate love to us, He also wants to fulfill these longings with Himself. Consider these Words from Scripture as you identify your personal longings and God's promise of fulfillment.
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I want to be loved.
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3)
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I want to belong to someone.
But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself. (Psalms 4:3)
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
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I want to be cherished.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (Isaiah 43:4)
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
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I want someone to fulfill my heart's desires.
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalms 37:4)
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I want someone who will always love me, no matter what.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-89)
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I want someone to be with me through the hard times of life, and to protect me. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)
Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (Psalms 32:7)
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I want someone I can draw strength from.
The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. (Psalms 29:11)
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (Psalms 31:24)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)
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I want someone to be with me when I am afraid.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)
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I want someone to comfort me.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalms 34:18)
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3)
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
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I want someone to help me with life's burdens.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalms 55:22)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
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I want someone to hold me.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. (Psalms 119:117)
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I want someone to be with me.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9)
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I want someone to live with me who loves me.
The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. (Deuteronomy 33:12)
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I want someone to make me happy.
For the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
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I want someone to protect me from those who would harm me.
Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. (Psalms 31:4)
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Psalms 31:20)
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I want someone to shower me with nice gifts.
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)
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I want someone who inspires me.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)
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I want someone who is always consistent.
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. (Hebrews 6:19)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)
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I want someone who will pray for me.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
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I want to be able to call someone when I'm in trouble.
The LORD will hear when I call unto him. (Psalms 4:3)
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (Psalms 34:15)
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Psalms 34:17)
© 1999 Fern Horst
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