Encouragement for Today

February 10, 2025 Waiting on God’s Best KIA STEPHENS Lee en español

“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

My husband proposed six months after we started dating. I was fresh out of college and secretly hoping I would meet my forever “knight in shining armor” when he asked me on a date. By the end of the year, I was already thinking, He’s the one. And he was, but I had no idea our courtship would come to a screeching halt not long after he proposed.

As the product of a single-parent home, I desperately wanted my future marriage to work. I wanted to defy the odds that were stacked against me. This is why I chose to confess an area of sin in my life to my fiancé, our marriage mentors and our church leadership. With grace, they advised us that we were not ready to get married, and we both had some more introspective work to do.

Whereas we could have made a beeline for the county courthouse, we opted to submit to their guidance in our lives. Immediately, we stopped planning our wedding and began individual counseling. It was difficult, humbling and slow, but I believe it was necessary.

With the help of a therapist, I worked on my dominant thoughts and corresponding actions. I countered lies with the Truth of the gospel, and I focused on myself as a woman and not just a future wife.

This is the image I have of God with Eve in the garden. Meticulously He formed her before He presented her as a helpmate for Adam. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”

In Hebrew, the word for “helper” in this verse is ezer, which also means “support” or “assistance.” Just in case you think the word “helper” is a weak description, God also used this term to refer to Himself in verses like Hosea 13:9. This means Eve was a pretty big deal. God took her formation seriously.

The Hebrew word for “fit” in Genesis 2:18 means “that which corresponds to.” Nothing in creation was suitable, so God performed the very first surgery to remove a rib from Adam and use it to create Eve. When God brought Eve to Adam, she was ready to be his suitable helpmate. Adam’s response was, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23, NIV).

God formed Eve and then presented her to Adam. He formed me, too, in my waiting. My unexpected waiting season before marriage prepared me for many waiting seasons in marriage and beyond.

Friend, God is working in our waiting. And if He has called us to marriage, even after we say “I do,” He continues to form and shape us, making sure we not only experience His best in marriage but also become His best for our spouse.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your way is always best. Help me to trust You in my waiting season. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

The Holy Spirit is at work in each of our lives — guiding us, equipping us, and reminding us we’re never alone. In our new seven-week study, Seen, Known, Loved: Leaning on the Holy Spirit in Us and the People Beside Us, we’ll journey through the book of Acts to see how the power of the Holy Spirit that shaped the early Church is still available to us today. Through the FREE First 5 app, you’ll get daily teachings that will help bring the story of Acts to life. But that’s not all! When you purchase a study guide, you’ll also receive reflection questions, scripture-based ideas for sharing your faith, and insightful resources like maps and illustrations to take your Bible study to the next level. Start the study with First 5!

Kia Stephens shares more about her singleness and marriage journey in her book, Overcoming Father Wounds: Exchanging Your Pain for God’s Perfect Love. You can check it out in the Proverbs 31 Bookstore.

ENGAGE

Join Kia on her YouTube channel as she shares more on the topic of “Waiting on God’s Best.” You can also connect with Kia on Instagram.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Proverbs 18:22, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD” (NIV).

1 Corinthians 11:9-12, “neither was man created for woman, but woman for man … For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God” (NIV).

If you’re single, how is God forming you for your unique calling? If you’re married, how is God leading you to be a helper for your spouse?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2025 by Kia Stephens. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org