1 Corinthians 7:32-34 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.
There are so many things in life about which we can be concerned, and some people manage to be concerned about the all, their lives wrapped up in worry and panic. You know people like this. They move from one crisis to another, never able to enjoy the moment because some new concern has arisen and they must do something about it, even if the only thing that can do is to worry.
I think this is especially true for those concerns about those closest to us, our family, our spouse. When our child gets sick, especially very sick, our whole life becomes concerned about them, and rightly so. The rest of life’s matters drop off the to do list. Only your child’s welfare matters.
That is what parents do. It is our way to demonstrate our love for our children. But we can’t have this same level of concern for everything, or even everything that we hear about. There is a limit to our ability to be effective at helping if we are spread too thinly.
Husbands and wives have a concern for their spouse’s wellbeing. Our energy goes to making sure they are safe and that their needs are met. And this is a good thing. It is part of the way the LORD made us, and part of His design for marriage.
But there is a cost to this kind of connection and commitment. Paul points this out in our text. The unattached person has fewer concerns, or at least they don’t have the welfare of their spouse always on their mind. They are better able to focus their time and energy on the LORD’s work. They aren’t divided in the same way that married people are.
This does not mean that the are concern free. Their concerns can simply be freed from the concerns of a spouse. They are better able to pick up on the LORD’s concerns and they don’t have to be concerned about taking care of a spouse.
It is interesting that Paul writes that these kinds of spousal concerns are part of the affairs of this life. It is not that they are evil, but that the cost associated must come from some account. When we are single, we are able to give our whole selves to the LORD. All our energies can go toward Him. But the married person must balance this with the needs of their family.
In one sense, being single has its advantages. You have one less pull on your life. But this is only true if you settle into singleness and stop the anxious searching for a spouse. We are talking about a calling to be single which brings with it the grace to be single, just as a calling to be married brings the grace needed for that commitment.
Too often we have not counted the cost of being married, or of being single. Marriage means giving up our selfishness and meeting the needs of our spouse. The single person gives up their selfishness in order to be devoted completely to the LORD.
So, where are your concerns today?
The Arnold Journey 