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An Acquired Taste

Have you ever acquired a taste for something?

For me, coffee is the first thing that comes to mind. I love everything about it—the taste, the smell, the act of brewing a fresh cup. I'm the guy who goes to bed at night, looking forward to drinking coffee the following day.

But it wasn’t always that way.

The first time I sipped my dad's coffee, I almost spit it out. I couldn't believe anyone would ever voluntarily drink something so bitter, let alone go to bed looking forward to waking up to prepare it.

Coffee is an acquired taste.

Singleness works the same way; it doesn’t come naturally to us at first. Remember what God said when he saw Adam wandering through the Garden on his own, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).

But if you put in the work to confront the past—forgiving the people you need to forgive, refusing to waste precious time and energy harboring bitterness, and surrendering the future and trusting God with it—you’ll begin to realize that you don’t mind being alone with yourself today.

This process takes time.

Think about purity. Let’s be honest, staying pure is one of the biggest areas of struggle for a lot of single people. But did you know purity is actually an acquired taste? Many of us grew up hearing that it was a requirement. Maybe you’re over it now that you’re an adult, and to avoid the shame that comes with chasing it, you dismiss it as legalistic or oppressive. The truth is, there’s a third way. There’s a lifestyle on the other side of all that baggage. A pursuit of purity without all the religious shame is possible. It’s an acquired taste, but it feels a lot like freedom.

Acquire the taste for singleness, and you may meet someone who has done the same. Or you may not. Either way, you’ll be content.

Exercise

Grab a 3x5 notecard and write Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Carry the card with you today everywhere you go. Whenever you get frustrated about your current relationship status, pull out the card and thank God for being your refuge.

Question to Consider

Are you on a trajectory toward having a greater appreciation for God, no matter what your relationship status is? In other words, if you are still single in a year, will you be closer to God than you are now?

We hope this plan encouraged you. Learn more about SINGLE TODAY by Ryan Wakenman here.