Enjoying the gift of singleness is all wrapped up in your perspective. Your outlook will change the game. It’s so easy to go about life like a kid on Christmas morning.

He wrote down a list of about ten toys he wanted for Christmas, but on the top of that list in bold letters, circled and highlighted read: A NEW PLAYSTATION. Although he wanted everything on the list, he really wanted that gift. At about 6 A.M. on Christmas morning, he woke his parents up and rushed to the tree. Though he opened each present and showed his gratitude, he could not wait to open the next. His parents knew what he was looking for, so they decided not to place the PlayStation under the tree. Once he finished opening all his gifts, which were twice as many as he asked for, he looked down fighting back the tears.

His parents asked, “What’s wrong, bud, did you not like your gifts?”

He muffled, “Yes, but where is the PlayStation?”

“What about it?” His parents puzzled.

“I placed it at the top of the list, hoping you would get it for me. If I didn’t have anything else, I wanted that most,” he pleaded.

His dad went behind the couch, and brought out a final box. The boy’s face lit up as he ran to the box and hugged his parents.

“Thank you! Thank you! I knew you’d get it for me.”

If you are single, God has chosen to give you the gift of singleness. If you are married, God has chosen to give you the gift of marriage. “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). You may not believe that singleness is good, but rest assured that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). If you are a child of God, you have the most perfect father. He does not make mistakes, and his timing is perfect. He protects us from unforseen danger, and that guy you want, may not be the guy that He wants for you.

Like the little boy, we each have a list of gifts that we all want God to provide. Though he gives us many, we still have one that we believe will provide us deep fulfillment. And that one is what hinders us from enjoying the others. During seasons of loneliness or doubt, remember that God blesses us each day with a new gift. Don’t overlook the value of the other gifts while sulking over that one. It’s not that God has not read our list, He is just waiting for the perfect time to bring it from behind the couch.