Belong to God in Your Season of Singleness

The gang of friends at a Boston bar called Cheers became a part of our lives from 1982 to 1993. The show’s theme song, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” includes the lyrics:

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
The troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name

Everybody wants somebody to know their name. Everybody wants to belong. 

This is part two of the series of four steps to rely on God’s promises during a season of singleness, or any lonely season. Read Part 1, Know God’s Love.

Number 2: Belong to God

I don’t fit in anywhere. I don’t have a husband or children. There must be something wrong with me. I am a fifth wheel; a square peg in a round hole.  

I thought I didn’t belong. Anywhere. I did not relate to the people I knew. Everyone was married, and I had no one. I envied those married people with wonderful spouses and beautiful children. Until I began studying God’s Word, the Bible. Gradually, over time, I realized I belong to someone—God. He created me to love me. 

To explain, God created mankind in his own image to love us and have a relationship with him. (Genesis 1:27) Subsequently, sin entered the world. Therefore, this relationship was damaged because God hates sin. But Jesus reconciled us to God by his death and resurrection. He paid the price for our sin—past, present, and future. Now, in Jesus, we can belong to God again.

For instance, Peter writes that we are chosen as God’s own. “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT).

We are seated at the table

All are invited to sit with Christ at the royal table. If we accept Jesus, we are seated in the heavenly realms with him. Not for what we did or didn’t do, but for what Jesus did. Jesus finished the work by being the final sacrifice.

As Paul writes from prison, “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6, NLT).

In fact, the verb “seated” is past tense. Thus, we are already seated! Because of God’s mercy and grace, we do not have to do anything to earn our seat at the table because we are already accepted.

Therefore, I am seated. I belong. That’s not to say sometimes I am tempted to envy another person’s seat. But all seats at God’s table are equal. So there is no longer any reason to envy another’s seat. 

We are part of God’s family

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we belong to God’s family, and Jesus is the head of the household. We are one in Christ.

In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul continues, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20 NIV)

So I no longer fret about not having a husband and children. Because I am a member of God’s family. I belong to God.

God knows your name

Just like at Cheers, everybody who matters knows your name. The Lord created you and calls you by name. In fact, He knows you intimately, even the number of hairs on your head.

Isaiah writes of the redemption and protection of Israel, but we are also God’s chosen people included in this promise. “But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine’” (Isaiah 43:1, NLT)

In addition, Jesus speaks of how the Father looks after us and knows the number of hairs on our heads. ”What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31, NLT).

I no longer feel left out because the King of Kings knows my name. He looks after me and calls me his own because I belong to him. Therefore, I am at peace.

Conclusion

Most of the time, I overcome my feelings of not belonging. Of course, sometimes I still feel left out and alone. Perhaps God has other plans for me than being single. But all I can do is continually trust in the promises of God.

Above all, we truly belong to God. He created us to love us, and we are part of His family. In addition, we are seated with Jesus in the heavenly realms and God knows our name. All good reasons to choose joy!

Read more about my season of singleness: Part 3, and Part 4.