Overview:
Shewanda Riley concludes her Boaz Ain't Broke series with a reminder that finding love as a mature single or seasoned saint may require courage to love and be vulnerable again, wisdom to accept love in any package, discernment to trust God's plan, passion to pursue God's presence, willingness to connect with others, ability to forgive past mistakes, and faith to submit to God's will. Like Boaz and Ruth, trusting God again after hurts and disappointments is one of the hardest things to do, but love, peace, and God's purpose and plan are waiting for those who take the risk.
I know I said a few weeks ago that the Boaz Ain’t Broke series was ending in October. However, this week’s column is the actual final one in the Boaz Ain’t Broke series.
I’ve gotten such a great response and had a few conversations with others who’ve shared great feedback that I wanted to add a few more things. Just a reminder, that when I wrote the first column a few weeks ago, I wrote that “A whole man may still have personal and professional disappointments, but he has learned how to allow God to heal him.”
The sweet love story of Ruth and Boaz showed two people who were willing to seek and accept God’s plan… again. That might be the hardest thing for those of us who have dealt with relationship disappointments in the past. This follow list that gives a few things for mature single women to look for as they search for their Boazes.
Boaz should be whole in the following five areas:
- Financially – Takes care of his financial obligations
- Relationally – Willing to work past fears and doubts from past relationships to connect to others.
- Emotionally – Willing to be real about his emotions without being manipulative or co-dependent
- Spiritually – Acknowledges, hears, and obeys the voice of God
- Physically – Takes care of his health
Talking to others in the last few weeks, I realize that there are probably more things that could be added. This doesn’t mean that you can’t find true love or a committed relationship if these things aren’t evident. Finding love as a mature single or seasoned saint might mean that we have to be willing to do the following:
- Find Love Again – Have the courage to love and be willing to allow yourself to be vulnerable again.
- Accept Love Again – Have the wisdom to accept love no matter what package it comes in.
- Trust God Again – Have the discernment to trust God’s plan for your life even if you can’t see his hand.
- Seek God Again – Have the passion to relentlessly pursue God’s presence and purpose in your life.
- Get Connected Again – Have the willingness to step out of your comfort zone and risk connecting with others in relationships.
- Trust Your Heart Again – Have the ability to forgive past mistakes and disappointments.
- Obey God Again – Have the faith to submit your will to God’s will in every area of your life.
Like Hebrews 3:13 says:
“For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”
Trusting God again after hurts, disappointments, rejection, and mistakes is one of the hardest things to do. Like Boaz and Ruth, we have to be willing to take the risk that love, peace and God’s purpose and plan are waiting for us …again.
Shewanda Riley is a Texas -based author who can be reached at preservedbypurpose@gmail.com or you can follow her on Instagram @shewandawrites.