February 2, 2017

Turning the Wait Into the Adventure

Walking with God is its own reward.

Kristina Penny

Many metaphors are used to describe the baffling process of finding a life partner. Men speak of hunting; women have been known to fish. Dating has been likened to everything from a job interview to shopping on the clearance rack. These metaphors reveal one thing: we spouse-seeking humans like to think we’re playing an active role moving the process along.

Yet at some point we all find ourselves waiting. For some it comes after exploring all the “options,” and finding no one compatible. Others have found someone special, but are waiting for God to guide them to the point of marriage. But the idea of being stuck waiting does little to help a person know how to live in the meantime, and how to deal with feelings of uncertainty and longing.

The Bible doesn’t have much to say about dating, but it does tell stories of characters who experienced intense periods of waiting, such people as Noah, Abraham, and David. Interestingly, the Bible also describes their relationship with God, using an intriguing metaphor: they all “walked” with God.

Walking. As on a Journey?

Indeed, I’ve come to think of the wait as more of a journey. Better yet, an adventure. Allow me to explain.

Growing up, I didn’t fly much. By not much, I mean I’d never set foot on a Boeing 747 until I was off to California for my first college internship. Even if I’d traveled more, it’s hard to imagine not being thrilled by the novelty. It’s not just getting to the destination—I love exploring airports, gazing through train windows, and rolling my suitcase through city streets.

What would happen if we had this same mind-set regarding dating, and finding a spouse? Maybe we’d stop resigning ourselves to toughing out boring periods of anguish, daydreaming only about the bliss to follow. Perhaps instead we’d see the process as one continuous adventure.

But how do we change perspective? Wise people say it starts with a solid relationship with God. To understand what that looks like in daily life, let’s dive back into our travel metaphor.

The Wait Becomes the Adventure . . .

When we have a travel companion

Have you ever taken a chance on a lesser-known restaurant and left feeling frustrated about the food or the service? I’ve found that throwing a friend into the mix transforms the experience. Suddenly a long wait flies by with good conversation. Weird tastes are something to laugh about together.

Well, of course, I imagine you responding as your eyes roll. That’s precisely why I’m eager to have a significant other with whom to share my life!

In your eagerness, don’t miss out on an exhilarating adventure with God, the companion you have right now and forever. Unlike humans, who always have limits, God is the travel buddy who never leaves (Deut. 31:6), to whom you always have access (Ps. 121:4).

First Kings 9:4 says that David “walked before” God. He also spent years waiting for God to fulfil a promise to make him the next king of Israel. Psalm 23 is possibly David’s clearest description of God as his travel companion, saying, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me” (verse 4, KJV).

Other psalms reveal that David understood something important: God isn’t just there to hand out rules and miracles. David spoke constantly and rawly with God about whatever concerned him. When we walk with God, we go through the process of finding a spouse with God by our side. We can communicate with Him about everything that excites us; that hurts us; about the decisions we need to make, big or small.

Subpar restaurant food is still bad. Single life can still be frustrating and lonely. But our perspective improves when we share the highs and lows with God.

When we pursue God’s purpose in other areas of life

If you love to travel, you probably have a bucket list of places to go. But you miss out if you wait to reach the preferred destination to check things off your list. I have a friend who rarely travels without setting goals to meet along the way. His itineraries include such goals as riding a unique trolley to the airport, learning new words from locals, and tasting new foods. He even plans lengthy layovers to explore cities.

Marriage is an important goal for many, but it need not be the only thing we pursue. Consider Abraham, another person God called to “walk before” Him (Gen. 17:1). Abraham’s life calling was wrapped up in the need and desire for a descendant. But he didn’t wait until he had a son to get started on his journey to claim the land God had also promised.

Cultivating vocational, health, and ministry dreams gives us things to talk about with God. We don’t aim to be distracted from our singleness. We grow as we wait.

When we find fulfillment in preparing

Part of the excitement of each new trip is the chance to do it better than the last time. How can I pack better clothing, or pack less and lug around a smaller bag? How can I record my adventures better? are ways I’ve challenged myself. Over time I have developed travel skills that improve each trip.

Noah also “walked . . . with God” (Gen. 6:9). The time that passed between God’s flood pronouncement and the falling of the first raindrops was time enough for Noah to obey God’s call to prepare, under His guidance.

Preparing for marriage means more than buying a house or getting a good job. We benefit from not only getting to “the right place in life,” but also preparing the right heart. We can all think of attributes such as selflessness, forgiveness, patience, and communication that God needs to improve in us as we spend time studying His Word. Few things make for a more exciting adventure than watching God transform us as we practice these traits in every type of relationship in our lives.

When Christ is our greatest joy

Travel is unpredictable. It often takes longer than expected, or doesn’t go as planned. But I’ve learned that it’s best not to bank my happiness on perfectly fulfilled plans. If I make my hope and expectation to learn and experience new things, these desires are rarely disappointed.

God is the companion who never fails, so He’s the perfect one on which to bank our deepest hopes. It’s easy to feel discontent and frustration when our expectations about anything—including dating—don’t happen. But Jeremiah 17:7 tells us, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Go ahead, read the rest of the chapter. It tells about what happens when we hang our happiness on anyone else.

What am I expecting out of this day? Is there an aspect of growth in my relationship with Christ that excites me? These are questions we can ask each day to become intentional about where we get fulfillment.

To love the journey doesn’t mean we can’t look forward to goals, such as marriage. That’s what some people imply when they urge contented singleness. In my opinion, to love the journey is to understand that the thrill begins now. And because Christ walks with us, we can live a truly thrilling adventure, no matter what stage we’re in.


Kristina Penny is digital editor of Adventist Review.

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