Life and Romance
“Life is not all about romance. In fact it is RARELY about romance.”
A friend said that to me recently. We weren’t even actually discussing romance at the time. And, I couldn’t have agreed with him more. In fact, I’ve said that exact thing before or at least thought it. But, for some reason that particular idea has been bouncing around in my head ever since he said it, and I can’t seem to get rid of it. It’s been bothering me, to tell you the truth.
Why is it bothering me? Because I wish life could be all about romance? Um, no.
It bothers me, because I feel that there are some common misconceptions among we single women, concerning what life IS all about.
Love and Romance are very special things. God created them. They are gifts that He grants to most of us at some point in our lives. It’s an exciting gift, and we all look forward to it with eager anticipation. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
What’s wrong is to draw the conclusion that “Life is all about romance” therefore: “My life doesn’t truly start until I have romance.”
Girls, I can tell you for a fact that life is NOT all about romance. I have proof! I have lived 26 years and haven’t had a stitch of it in my life.
I have a friend who is in that special romantic stage of her life right now. She’s newly engaged, planning her wedding, living on cloud 9, and all that stuff. She’s REALLY happy right now. I’ve never seen her so happy.
But, even in this stage of her life when romance is at its peak and life is candy and flowers, her life still isn’t ALL ABOUT romance. She still has to go to work, and she still has to do a good job. She still has all of the family, friends and relationships she had before she fell in love. And she’ll still have all of those things after the wedding… and after the 1st anniversary, and the 2nd, and the 10th, and the 25th, and 50th. I hope her life is happy and special and the romance continues right up to their 75th anniversary. But, even if it does, it’s not the only thing in their lives.
So, what IS life all about? The short answer is: Life is about serving God. In fact, that is why we have life.
I want to encourage all of us single girls to put our focus on serving God. I know it’s easy sometimes to feel left out when our friends are falling in love. When it seems like everyone has romance except us. But, the truth of the matter is that romance is just a PART of life. It is an exciting, beautiful part of life, but it is just a part. And there are many other parts.
I may not have had much experience with the romantic part of life, but I can tell you I’ve had plenty of experience with other parts. And many other parts of my life have been exciting and beautiful.
I’ll admit, I get discouraged sometimes when it seems like my Prince Charming will never come…
But, Life isn’t all about romance.
6 comments:
Great Article, Jak....
I was recently talking to sister in the Lord who didn't marry till she was 33 or so. And she was telling me that she found that being single she could throw all of herself into serving God..and that she had a very special place of fellowship with him...
Thats a great thought Debbie! That's how I see it as well, right now we can really concentrate on doing what God is calling us to. Not that I don't wait for that special someone and totally believe that with him I will be able to serve God in a different way, but there is something special about the time with have now and we shouldn't try to skip it.
Thanks Becca for sharing - I've been thinking along the same lines for awhile as well... And watching that friend of yours in her new "romantic" time of life has been a growing experience for me as well!
Much love!
Nicky
I guess it depends partially on how we define 'romance.' Romance as in romantic love... you're so right in everything you say.
But I think sadly people forget how extraordinarily romantic it is to serve God, and in that sense life is, or at least should be, all about romance, because it is, or should be, all about Him.
*applauds* That's a really good article, Rebecca. Now if only we could easily find HOW we are to use our lives to serve God. Hm.
Valerie, if it's any help, I'd say the best way to serve God is "in the moment."
As a young teenager I was very frustrated by feeling at some sort of an in-between point... I was ready to move on to my vocation, but God wasn't indicating to me what it was. I'm still at the in-between point, but I realize now that my worrying about tomorrow was distracting me from serving God today, and by being preoccupied with the future I wasn't actually preparing for it... rather the opposite.
I realize that this is basically a summary of what Rebecca already said so well.
The 'how' of serving Him, when He hasn't told you any differently, is to keep on doing what you're doing. Even if it's merely waking up every day, during your school and chores, and then going to bed (as I've been doing for the past four years!), if it's want He wants, it's ever so valuable.
It's terribly hard sometimes, though. Thank God for His grace and strength to help us through.
---Clare
Wonderfully put. I couldn't agree more!
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