THAT book II

The third chapter of Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? is called "God’s Quiet Providence". The author, Carolyn McCulley, had been listening to a tape by Mark Devers on Ruth in which he takes a look at the story of Naomi. To give you a glimpse of her honesty she writes:

"I know I have been like Naomi. I’ve looked at my circumstances and concluded that God had “abandoned” me to unwanted singleness. I’ve actively complained about it. I’ve made snide remarks. I’ve been bitter when others have received the blessings I desire. I’ve even been outright angry with God for not answering my demands on my schedule.

But I thought I’d grown out of it.

Before that retreat, I honestly thought I was doing fairly well. What God showed me then was a more subtle form of unbelief: When our prayers seem to go unheeded, we can learn to live in unexpectant apathy. We go through the motions, but we’re not convinced that God will bless us. Bottom line, ugly truth: We don’t really trust God. This is no minor issue. As author and theologian Jerry Bridges wrote, "God views our distrust of Him as seriously as He view our disobedience"."

I have to confess that these days I generally give a sort of depressed sigh, state something to the effect that there just aren’t enough Christian guys left (usually with some nasty kind of qualifier like "within the definition of "normal"") to go around, and think that I am just one of those people who inevitably had to ‘miss out’. And other times I just think that the probability of meeting a Christian guy that I think is in any way attractive (including such things as godliness in that of course!), having them feel the same in return, and then of both of us being able to successfully navigate that minefield that seems to be pre-dating (I have been known to tell people that’s some kind of game that I don’t have the manual for) such that the guy actually asks me out, one day – well I doubt that even God can pull that off!

And I can’t believe I just blogged all that (think I am being infected by the honesty) – but either way I think I am guilty of unexpectant apathy.

But as the chapter concludes:

"God is still working – let’s never forget that. What we can see of our circumstances is not all that is there. Whether we are single or married, God is working to glorify Himself through those circumstances, and only He knows the best way to accomplish His plans. At any given time, we can’t see the grand panorama of His grace. But, secure in the reality of it, we can rest in the promise that still echoes across time: "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." ... I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it (Isaiah 46:10-11)."