In order to get a better grasp of the future, it is always important to evaluate things. Self-evaluation is used for a variety of purposes and will help you reflect on your circumstances to gauge the strengths and work on the weaknesses. In the course of our lives, we are evaluated by a lot of people – from teachers, employers, colleagues to friends. This is often aimed at improving ourselves in the different settings of life.
In this chapter, we will be aiming at self evaluation in the category of single parenthood. Not towards condemnation, but towards accepting the tragic circumstances and for some, towards accepting the mistakes, weaknesses and wrong decisions that led to our single-parenthood.
This self-evaluation, if done honestly, will help you become more accountable to God and to yourself as well as empower you to take responsibility for your actions. Use it as a tool for continuous self-improvement.
The examples below are from real life, categorized into five groups to broadly and diversely represent the main causes of single-parenthood in our community today. A couple are due to wrong decisions (The Fall) and the others are due to external forces beyond human control (Tragedy). Both causes bring suffering, but take hope because this suffering produces perseverance which in turn produces character and finally hope. Your hope in God for a better tomorrow will not be put to shame!
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
