As a married woman, I normally write about marriage for Christian women. But I was single once. In fact, I married my first boyfriend! So while I don’t have much dating experience at all, I do still remember my years as a single Christian woman. I could have used this list of encouraging Bible verses for singles.
When I was younger, I often felt discouraged as a single Christian woman. Growing up in South Carolina, I felt a lot of pressure to be in a relationship.
I attended a university with a strong “ring before spring” culture. Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), the on-campus Christian group I attended, routinely did sermon series on dating, sex, and marriage. All around me were happy couples.
Then there was me, perpetually single. I wondered if I was somehow failing as a woman, and as a Christian, because men didn’t notice me.
Then God spoke to me.
Or rather, a senior student gave a guest sermon at RUF on the positives of singleness. Singer-songwriter Wendell Kimbrough was a popular student in RUF, but he remained a humble and friendly leader. He was also single. Pointing to scripture, Wendell extolled the virtues of a single life, one in which we could truly prioritize God.
My ultimate purpose in life has never been to get married and have babies. Woman’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Her forever.
God used Wendell to remind me of that.
Years later, I honestly don’t recall which scriptural passages Wendell shared with us. But I’ve been reading the Bible myself to find the most encouraging Bible verses for singles. I’m sure a few of these verses are the same ones Wendell shared years ago!
Take Solace in the Lord
The Bible tells us that above all else, we need God.
Find your strength in God. Allow Her to comfort you.
A spouse will never complete you. Seek your identity in the Lord.
Top Bible Verses for Singles in the Old Testament
Isaiah
“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.” -Isaiah 30:18
“You shall have a song as in the night when a holy festival is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.” -Isaiah 30:29
“Seek and read from the book of the Lord:
Not one of these shall be missing;
none shall be without its mate.
For the mouth of the Lord has commanded,
and his spirit has gathered them.” -Isaiah 34:16
“Do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10
“For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, ‘Do not fear,
I will help you.'” -Isaiah 41:13
“But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.” -Isaiah 43:1-2
“For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.” -Isaiah 54:5
“Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” -Isaiah 55:6-9
“For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” -Isaiah 55:12
Lamentations
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23
Hosea
“And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord.” -Hosea 2:19-20
Top Bible Verses for Singles in the New Testament
John
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” -John 15:9
Hebrews
“Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence,
‘The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?'” -Hebrews 13:5-6
There is a Time for Everything
God might intend for you to marry one day. Or God’s plan for you might not include marriage. Regardless, God does have a plan for you, a plan greater than you could imagine.
Have patience. Find contentment in your life, exactly as it is.
There is a time for everything, and God’s timing is always perfect.
Top Bible Verses for Singles in the Old Testament
Ecclesiastes
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.” -Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Song of Solomon
“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the wild does:
do not stir up or awaken love
until it is ready!” -The Song of Solomon 3:5
Isaiah
“but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31
Seek God Above All Else
Even married women should seek the Lord above all things. But with a spouse, and especially with children, a woman’s time and focus are divided.
Single women can truly focus on God. A state of singleness allows you to pursue God instead of a spouse.
Top Bible Verses for Singles in the Old Testament
Lamentations
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.” -Lamentations 3:25-26
“Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the Lord.
Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands
to God in heaven.” -Lamentations 3:40-41
Top Bible Verses for Singles in the New Testament
Matthew
“But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” -Matthew 6:33
“‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'” -Matthew 28:19-20
Mark
“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” -Mark 12:25
John
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” -John 15:5
“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” -John 15:16-17
1 Corinthians
“I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain unmarried as I am.” -1 Corinthians 7:7-8
“Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. I think that, in view of the impending crisis, it is well for you to remain as you are.” -1 Corinthians 7:25-26
“I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.” -1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Colossians
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” -Colossians 2:6-7
If you are a single Christian, I hope you find these Bible verses encouraging.
Never forget that you are a beloved daughter of God.
- How to Pray to God: a Guide to Christian Prayer - September 3, 2022
- The Great Sex Rescue: An Honest Review - August 7, 2022
- Quiet Time with God Ideas (Great for Beginners) - May 16, 2022
