A few days ago, when I was reading the Word, this verse seemed to resonate within me:
1 Corinthians 7:17 - Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.
The context of this particular chapter is that of marriage. Paul wrote advice for both the married and unmarried. The verse above is the beginning of another subchapter which goes beyond the married/unmarried but that of circumcision and bondservants. The following subchapter carries advice for the unmarried and widowed.
Thus when Paul talks about the 'assigned' life, we can assume that he was referring to marriage and singleness but it also relates to all other paths of life.
The ESV Student Study Bible's notes on this particular verse are as follows:
"God calls people to himself who are in various situations regarding economics (slavery vs. freedom), family (divorce vs. marriage) and religious background (circumcision vs. uncircumcision) and often God has a purpose for the new believer in that very situation. It is the place to which God has called him."
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
We tend to despise our situation and station in life, especially when things get hard and we are in pain. We yearn for another life, so to speak and wish that God would lead us somewhere else. But this verse shows that God calls us, God assigns something, some stage to us. We should therefore, not respond in complain or bitterness but in joy and gratefulness. What kind of assigned life do we mean? It can be anything, really. I am a student now, this is my assignment, should I not work to the best of my ability, not wishing to quickly get out of this stage but to embrace all that comes along my way even when it gets tough?
There might be harder assignments to endure, one that is specific to us and sometimes we will never understand why God allows us to stay there. But the knowledge that He knows what He's doing should spur us on.
In every season, there is a purpose. Be it singlehood or marriage, be it poverty or riches. Be it joy or suffering. Be it sickness or health, nothing is in vain.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Let us then, thank God for our assigned life. For the stage, place He has called us to. Knowing that He is faithful and will ever be.
2 Timothy 2:13 - For if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
And in Paul's famous words, I shall end this...
'Thanks be to God...'
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