The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. –Proverbs 10:22
One of my favorite songs to play when I was a gospel radio announcer was “When the
Praises of God are Going Up” by James Moore and the Mississippi Mass Choir. I liked for a number of reasons (it was anointed) plus it was long enough (the extended version being over 7 minutes long) to take a break from the studio. This was before the days of digital automation in broadcasting and we were still playing records.
And when I thought about the part of “the blessings,” the question that came to my mind was which ones? There is indeed more than one kind of blessing from God. Many like to say that the gift of singleness allows those who are unmarried to fully devote themselves to the Lord as stated in I Corinthians 7:32. As I meditated more on the various blessings, what God had me write down was “the 12 blessings of singleness.”
12 Blessings of Singleness
Blessing of Anticipation – Have the assurance that no matter how long the wait,
God will answer our prayers and fulfill our hearts desires.
Blessing of Revelation – Know that we are able to go deeper into God’s word and develop a more spiritually mature life.
Blessing of Restoration – Believe that as we embrace God’s grace, no longer will we be held hostage by the mistakes of our past.
Blessing of Resurrection – Accept that sometimes in order for God to bring to life the seeds of destiny inside of us, some things (attitudes, etc) must die.
Blessing of cheerful obedience – Realize that it’s not just enough to be obedient but to have the right attitude while being obedient.
Blessing of Pursuing Purpose – Make the life-changing decision to seek after your God ordained professional, spiritual and personal purpose.
Blessing of Repentance – Be willing to honestly admit to yourself and God about your past sins…and commit to changing destructive behaviors.
Blessing of Submission – Commit to allowing God to show us the importance of trusting his will and letting go of the desire to control our lives.
Blessing of Integrity – Seek to build a life and character that honors God both in public and private.
Blessing of Sincerity – Decide that living a life purely motivated by a desire to do right.
Blessing of Solitude - Recognize that seasons of solitude are designed to build 100% dependence on God.
Blessing of Vision and Directed Focus – Stay focused while following after Godly visions and plans for our lives.
Shewanda Riley is the author of the Essence best-seller "Love Hangover: Moving From Pain to Purpose after a Relationship Ends." She can be reached at lovehangover@juno.com, at www.shewandariley.com or www.anointedauthorsontour.com
© 2007 Whirlwind Communications
Article may not be reproduced without the written consent of the author.
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