1 Corinthians 7:8-11
8 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.
10 But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord.[b] A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.
So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am.
In the Disney film Wreck-it-Ralph, Vanellope Von Schweetz is a racing car driver with a dream of being the best. However, she has a problem. She glitches. Every now and then, her body distorts and she finds herself teleported in an uncontrollable way. She longs to just be normal, like everyone else.
There are many areas of life that can feel like this. A glitch that prevents you from having the experience that you desire. It could be your upbringing, your culture, your health or your finances. One area that is commonly felt like this is singleness. The Bible describes our relationship with God as being like a marriage and that there is a blessing on marriages. For those who are single this can leave you feeling incomplete or marginalised. Like there is something out of your control standing between you and the life you want.
In the story of Wreck-it-Ralph, the story turns as Vanellope starts to see the benefits of the glitch. It allows here to do things that no one else can do and soon enough, she is the racing champion. Paul looks at singleness in the same way. What so many see as a glitch, holding them back, Paul sees the opportunities.
He was able to focus on ministry, travel and church planting in a way that he never would have been able to had he been married. He was able to take risks and dedicate time to ministry. The impact of his life has echoed for generations and his writings have been recorded as scripture.
What if the glitch is not a problem but an opportunity for God to use you.
