Singleness and Suffering

Michael Gehrling’s honest reflections on singleness:

I’ve learned a lot about singleness. I’ve even come to appreciate it, and can agree with the Apostle Paul that singleness is a gift as valuable as marriage. I can see that the gift of singleness is more than having extra time to devote to “ministry.” Singleness is the gift of flexibility, mobility, and availability to others. Singleness is the gift of giving anyone undivided attention. It’s the gift of being a good friend and being able to love all equally.

Yet, even in coming to appreciate my singleness as a gift, it’s still a struggle. I still wrestle with loneliness, and sometimes depression. I still find it easy to convince myself that I’m the only single person in my community; that everyone else is married or in a relationship, and that I’m not loved as deeply as I desire to be, nor free to love another as deeply as I’d like.

Click on the link to read his full piece.