Navigating College for Today’s Young WomanSample

Ring By Spring?

My college daughter loves wearing clothes from my generation (Gen X) and adapting other items from my days—scrunchies, 80s music, head scarves, you name it—she says retro is in. Her generation even uses some of the same lingo we did, including the phrase, Ring by Spring.

This phrase generally means college girls wish to be engaged by spring before they graduate. While today’s statistics show more young adults are holding off on marriage until they’re older, the same sentiment of “Ring by Spring” still rings true: we want to be in a relationship and feel loved.

It can be easy to feel lonely and jump into any relationship—I know because I was one of those girls. I did not like The Wait. While waiting, I felt frustrated, angry, and sad, questioning if God heard my pain and longing.

Many of us don’t even know why we must wait or how to wait.

The why is often because God is growing us. He uses the waiting time to develop our character—which is what we also need in marriage. Right now, God’s working on maturing you and your skills, knowledge, patience, and even love. It will always be important to love yourself, be happy, and know who you are in Christ, whether single or married.

And while God’s working on you, he’s also working on your future spouse. He wants both of you to learn to be entirely dependent on him because even after you marry, he will still be your center.

So, how do we wait? We put our hope in God, his word, and his promises. Even when we get upset and angry, we come out of that and back to trusting God. The more connected you are in your relationship with him, the more likely you are to “Wait Well” instead of sitting in negative feelings or making poor choices.

Worrying and thinking about it too much can rob you of your present. What amazing things could God have for you now if you weren’t overly focused on it? Waiting is not easy, but it is worth it.

Question: What have you been waiting for in terms of a relationship? What could God be doing while you’re waiting?

Prayer: Ask God to reveal how you can grow while waiting. Ask him to continue working in your future spouse’s life. Thank him for knowing what’s best for you.