After God told Adam that he needed a spouse, he began looking for a suitable helper, but he did not find it. As I’ve mentioned, God’s criteria for a spouse is compatibility. When Adam could not find someone who fit that criteria, he came back to God. God had a solution. It was definitely not a conventional one. 

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Genesis 2:21

God put Adam to sleep, a deep sleep, in fact. There was no more looking for a wife, no more searching for a helper, just sleep. God had a really interesting way of working. Imagine being Adam and God basically says, “You are tired of looking? Get some rest. Just close your eyes and go to sleep.” Now, Adam was not dead – only asleep. Sleep may look like death from a distance, but the difference is that those who are sleeping are fully alive and getting recharged for what’s to come. Those who are dead, well, they are gone. 

May I propose something? Could it be that after a season of searching and seeking, and not finding what you are looking for, that God might be inviting you to sleep in the area of romantic relationships? By sleep I mean to stop looking, close your eyes, not your heart. Put it in God’s hands literally, and wait on Him. When Adam was working on finding a spouse, he could not find one. But when Adam rested as God said, while he was waiting, God was working. Maybe God has been waiting on you to wait on Him, so that He can work. Perhaps all your work has gotten you nowhere. If you are in that place right now, I invite you to lay the burden of trying to find the right person at the feet of Jesus. Instead of seeking a spouse, start seeking the Kingdom, waiting on God to add all other things to your life. 

When Adam went to sleep, God went to work. God was done with the creation of the world, now it was time He went to work on Adam. We all want God’s involvement in our relationships. The best way to do it is to understand that God works when we wait. When we seek His kingdom, He adds things to us. If you continue to seek and search, like Adam, and don’t find what you’re looking for, it brings frustration and disappointment. It can make people desperate and impatient. Maybe it’s time to switch something up. Let God work. He works on behalf of those who wait; in this case, sleep. 

When Adam slept, God worked on Adam, not on Eve. It was after God worked on Adam that God was able to create Eve. When you seek God’s face and wait on God, He works on you as much as on the person he is preparing for you. We all have some ribs that need to be worked on – maybe some bad attitudes, character flaws, emotional hurts, addictions and bad habits. Your rib can be debt that God wants you to pay off. It can be an abuse that you need to be healed from. Perhaps an addiction to porn that you need to be freed from. Waiting on God is allowing God to work on you. Waiting on God is not passive, it’s a pursuit of His interests which leads to surgery on your character and heart. 

This comes from chapter 6 “Sexual Sleep”, “Single, Ready to Mingle”
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This blog was written by Vladimir Savchuk.

Pastor Vlad is the lead pastor of Hungry Generation Church, an author of “Break Free” and “Single, Ready to Mingle” and a founder of free online school “Vlad’s School.” To download free e-books, sermon series, small group study guides go to vladimirsavchuk.com