Three years ago I met the father of my son. When he found out that I was pregnant, he washed his hands of any economic obligation. My parents forgave me, and I remained living at home with my son and decided to dedicate myself to God, to my family, and to my baby.
But I have had feelings of nostalgia for not being able to marry and have my own family. I think that some day my son will grow up and get married, and my parents will die and I will be left alone. I don’t want to let these feelings get the best of me and cause me to make bad decisions.
Dear Friend,
We congratulate you for your dedication to God, to your family, and to your son! You have unusual maturity to understand what is best for your future and for your child.
We receive letters every week from girls who have gotten pregnant before getting married. They are writing because their cases are difficult and sad. But you are different! Your parents have been understanding and able to give you a good place to live. And you were mature enough to know that you should not marry the wrong man just because you were pregnant. You valued the life of your child and have taken care of him well. You are a good example of knowing what is most important and making wise decisions.
You have written to us because you have fallen victim to a common emotion. It is anxiety. It causes you to worry, not about the real issues of today or tomorrow, but about the possible problems of twenty years from now. Jesus deals with the problem of anxiety in His Sermon on the Mount, in which He reminds us that birds don’t worry about what they will eat and flowers don’t worry about what they will wear. He then gives us this principle to live by: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”(1) Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God. He assures us that when we make Him the first priority in our lives, God promises to take care of everything else that we need.
What does it mean to make God the first priority in your life? First, you must find out what God wants for you. As you read the Bible, you will find God’s principles and priorities. When you pray, God will give you the wisdom that you need to make the right decisions each day. So you will have no reason to worry about what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Instead, you will plan how to please God each day. He knows about your desire for a husband and a family, and He will bring those into your life at just the right time. God can be trusted! He loves you and wants the best for you.
Let God take care of your future,
Linda and Charles
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1 Mt 6:33