Often we think that if God's plan is different than our plan, it can't possibly be as good.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had the subconscious thought:"Singleness is not what I desire, therefore it can't actually be what's best for me."
But in reality, God knows much better than we do what will make us joyful and fulfilled.
Like Eve, we tend to listen to the serpent's subtle lies and doubt that God actually has good in mind for us. If it doesn't involve our dreams coming true, how could it be good? But God measures "good" with a different measuring stick than we do. We measure what's good by what feels nice to us. He measures what's good by what develops us into the people He designed us to be, and what brings us the deepest joy and satisfaction which can only be found in Him.
When we don't trust God's goodness and we believe that singleness could not possibly be a good thing, we are like the child who is watching his mother bake and begging for a chocolate chip. When mother says no, it's because she knows what is on the other side of the messy baking process and the jar of chocolate chips. She knows that what she's making is far better than one tiny chocolate morsel.
But the child doesn't know that. He can't see the ginormous, warm, chocolate chip cookie that is coming. He can't fathom that giving up a chocolate chip in the now will yield him much deeper happiness in just 25 minutes of baking time.
We are like a child in God's kitchen, pining and begging for the chocolate chip of immediate dreams coming true, and not trusting that He is making something far better if we will just follow, wait, and believe that His plan is greater than ours. We beg Him for the chocolate chip, when He has a far better dessert in mind.
We desire the chocolate chip of instant gratification, but God desires to give us something infinitely more through sanctification. He wants to give us what will bring us closer to Him, build our faith, and make us more effective for His service...knowing that ultimately, that is what will bring us more sweetness, more joy and more fulfillment than anything else. We must not be surprised if in the process of bringing us the sweetness, He has to allow for some bitter days as well.
God has a purpose for each ingredient - even the messy and individually repulsive ones. His best for you won't always taste like butter and brown sugar and chocolate morsels. Sometimes it will taste more like flour, baking soda or salt. Sometimes what is needed for the best end product are some scoops of faith-building circumstances - some spoonfuls that are less sweet, less pleasant in the moment, but have an ultimately good result.
God knows how to bake what will bring you the most joy in the end. Trust Him when He says "no" or "wait" to the chocolate chip.
God never denies us our heart's desire except to give us something better. - Elisabeth Elliot
Thank you <3
Beautifully said!