Living single is no easy task in today’s world. Society can have a way of making single people feel isolated and alone, and the pressure to enter into a relationship can sometimes be overwhelming. Men as well as women can feel like they don’t fit in because of their relationship status, and dealing with the world’s rigid expectations can be discouraging. But there is a way for everyone to live a full and happy life, and we find out how to do that in the Bible.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus made a point of reaching out to everyone, regardless of gender, marital status, or any other barrier that separated people. It made no difference to him whether someone was married or single. His plan was for a happy and fulfilling life for everyone who believed in him. “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (John 10:10, AMPC).  This promise is just as powerful today as it was two thousand years ago.

Taking our minds off ourselves and focusing them on Jesus puts life in a whole new perspective. God is a God of abundance, and when we meditate on the fact that he wants us to enjoy life, something happens inside of us. A relationship with Christ enriches all our other relationships, because he cares deeply about everything that affects us. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1 Peter 5:7, AMPC). It’s reassuring to know that the God of all creation is watching over us.

Attuning ourselves to him gives us supernatural results. When we’re leaning toward making a bad decision, his Holy Spirit warns us. When we make a mistake and find ourselves in a bad situation, he delivers us from harm. This is because God’s plans for us are always good. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV).

Realizing that God loves us and sees each one of us as valuable individuals created in his image helps us maintain the positive self-image we need to make wise decisions in our relationships. When we deliberately disengage our minds from what the world expects of us, and focus instead on God’s word concerning us, we experience a freedom and a peace of mind found only through him. This peace isn’t based in any of our worldly relationships, and it transcends all pressures to meet others’ expectations. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

Our trust in God and what he wants for us can be the deciding factor between entering into a wrong relationship, and finding just the right person for us. God’s will for us is to live a happy, joyful life in him. Relying on him in this area, instead of on ourselves, brings results we could never achieve on our own.