Singleness a Gift?

What should we do? Should we be married or single? Is singleness a dilemma or a gift?
Let us take a look at Paul's chapter on Marriage and Singleness in 1 Corinthians 7. This chapter is very crucial as it truly helped me in my moments of crisis.

Here are some verses that stand out to me:

1 Cor 7:7 ESV

7I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 

So marriage is a gift from God. So is singleness. Everyone has their own gift from God! We are all gifted! If you read the context of this above verse, you'll see that Paul is referring to the topic of marriage and singleness.

1 Cor. 7:26-28

26I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.
27Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

So given the conditions Paul was seeing in his day, such as persecution, he was saying that people should abide in their current condition, whether married or single. Some had been "freed" (Greek word meaning "loosed, divorced") from their spouse. Some were married. Some were single. Paul made the point that the main thing is to serve God in His calling on your life. Regardless of your status in this world, serve God, as you were called by Christ! But if those who were freed or single did eventually marry, they have not sinned. Paul was, with literary finese and Holy Ghost power, expounding the fact that neither is a sin, marriage or singleness. 

For Paul,

Being a single serving God is great!

Being married so that sexual passion is under control is good! Serving God is possible still, but can present more challenges. 

But regardless of marital status, serving God is the best and main thing, and it is easier to serve God as a single! I know both worlds. And serving God is definitely easier now that I am single again! 

I have embraced this long season of singleness I have been in!

To me, here is the main point of 1 Corinthians 7 and Paul's discourse: 

1 Cor.7:17

17Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

The main theme and point of this chapter as I have studied it, to me, is the CALLING OF CHRIST. 

This is reflected several times as the calling is repeated over and over in the following verses: 18-24 . The word "Called" or "Calling" is mentioned a total of 8 times from verses 17-24. This is Paul's point... In whatever one does, let nothing distract you from the Call of Christ. For one is not fully putting God first in life if one does not heed and obey Christ's geographic and ministerial call! We are all ministers of different kinds! 

Blessings!