Getting Ready for Her Before I've Met Her

I was standing in front of a glacier in Iceland, surrounded by black-sand beaches, icebergs and mountains that made me feel like I was living inside a screensaver, and all I could think was: God, you are so creative.

Not once did I think about being single.

Which honestly surprised me, because if you know my life, I am the last single one standing in my friend group. We are talking married friends, friends with kids, friends who are already on their second kid. And here I am. The fun uncle. Living my best single life in Iceland, slightly overdressed for the weather, having the time of my life with my friends.

While standing in front of all that beauty, something just settled in me. I felt close to God in a way that is hard to explain. It was like He was showing off a little. Like He made all of it, then said, "Look what I can do." And I just stood there and received it.

That trip reminded me that singleness is not a problem to fix. It is a season to steward.

Then There Was France

I also went to France. I did a few days completely solo before meeting up with some friends. And let me tell you, doing life alone in a foreign country will humble you real quick. It sounds very romantic and very cinematic until you are actually sitting at a cafe by yourself, wondering if the waiter feels sorry for you.

France was harder. Iceland was easy because I had my people around me. France was just me, God and a lot of very good bread.

But that is exactly where the refining happened. Because when it is just you and God, you cannot hide behind the noise of other people. You actually have to sit with yourself. And I learned something on that trip that I have been holding onto ever since: the Lord was with me. Every croissant, every cobblestone street, every moment, I felt a little lonely. He was right there. And He was using that season to prepare me for something I could not yet see.

Isaiah 55:9 says His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways. I used to read that verse and nod along. In France, alone, I actually believed it.

The Comparison Trap Is Real

I want to be honest with you because a lot of people write about singleness as if it is always peaceful and purposeful, and as if they have it all figured out. I do not always have it all figured out.

There are moments when I scroll through my phone and see another engagement, another baby announcement, another family photo and something quietly stirs in me. Not bitterness exactly. More like a low hum of, "When is it my turn?"

Being the fun uncle is genuinely one of my favorite things. I love those kids. But there are trips, dinners and group photos where everyone is paired up, and I am the odd one out, and I would be lying if I said that never gets to me.

Here is what I have learned: comparison is just doubt wearing a costume. When I start comparing my timeline to everyone else's, I am really saying, I don't trust God's plan for me. And that is the real thing to deal with.

Your timeline differs from everyone else's by design. God is not running behind on your life. He is right on schedule. And staying in union with Him is what keeps you grounded when the comparison starts to creep in.

What I Actually Do With This Season

I want to tell you what stewarding singleness actually looks like for me, not in theory but in real life.

I work out because I want to show up healthy for her. I spend time in the Word every morning because I want to be spiritually grounded for her. I am getting my house ready, making it a home, because one day she is going to walk into it and I want it to feel like somewhere she belongs.

I do not know her name yet. I have not met her yet. But I am already thinking about her, and I believe that is what it means to steward this season well. You prepare in private for what God brings in public.

1 Corinthians 7:34 talks about the unmarried person being devoted fully to the Lord without distraction. Paul is not writing that to make single people feel better. He is pointing at something real. This season carries a kind of closeness with God that is genuinely hard to replicate when life gets fuller. These are sacred years if you let them be.

He Reveals Things to You That He Doesn’t to Everybody Else

This is the thing I want to leave you with.

In this season of singleness, God will show you things about yourself, about Him, and about your purpose that He simply cannot show someone who is already in the next chapter. The quiet moments, the solo trips, the mornings in the Word with no one else around. He meets you there in a specific way.

I have genuinely come to love those moments. Not in a resigned, I-guess-this-is-my-life kind of way. It's more in a this-is-actually-really-good way. And I believe He loves them too because He desires a relationship with us. Not just a check-in. A real, deep, ongoing relationship.

The person He has for you will one day benefit from everything you built in private during this season. The character, the faith, the healing, the growth. None of it is wasted. All of it is preparation.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11    

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Gift Habeshaw

Reflection Questions for the Week

1. Am I treating my singleness as a waiting room or as a workshop?

2. What is one area of my life I can invest in this week that my future spouse will one day benefit from?

3. When did I last just enjoy being with God without asking Him for anything?

Joe Navarro, known online as @joechristianguy, is a Christian content creator, entrepreneur, and cultural voice passionate about making faith approachable and impactful for the next generation. With over 4.5 million combined followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Joe delivers bold, Gospel-centered truth through a mix of daily encouragement, short-form teachings, comedic skits, and authentic life experiences. His unique blend of theology, humor, and clarity has created space for millions of young believers and skeptics alike to engage with Scripture and real conversations about following Jesus in a digital world. In 2023, he co-created the popular card game Discernment alongside Jacob and Julia Petersen, which is now available in major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Museum of the Bible, and Mardel. He also holds a degree in Agricultural Economics with a minor in Sales from Texas A&M.