3 Struggling Single Mothers In The Bible To Learn From

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Did you know that there are single mothers in the Bible? And there are plenty of single mom Bible verses that you can learn from.  Not just single mothers in the Bible, but single mothers who went through struggles, loneliness, brokenness, and hardships. You know basically, the same things that we single moms go through today.

As I sought to do my own single moms Bible study, these three women stood out to me through my struggles, brokenness, abandonment, and just about every other situation that I face as a single mom. So I know for a fact that these single moms are going to help you in whatever situation that you are going through.

I also recommend that you take time to do a single mom Bible study on your own, on all of these women and you may just be shocked at what else you can get from them besides what I am telling you AND before we continue.  Check out my popular video on YouTube on how to get over your baby daddy where I talk about these women and more single mothers in the Bible. AND don’t forget to subscribe to my channel by clicking here.

So let’s begin shall we, in this post I will:

• Teach you about 3 single mothers in the Bible that you can learn from. 

• Give you information for you to do a single moms Bible study on your own. 

• And give you single mom Bible verses, both Bible verses for single moms and Bible verses about single moms, that will offer you encouragement. 

1. Single Mothers In The Bible & Single Moms Bible Study ~ Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

One of the main inspirations that I got from the widow at Zarephath, was when I lost my job and my behind was broke and struggling and literally, I did not know how I was going to get groceries for the week, I literally had the same moment that this widow had.  If you are not familiar with the widow at Zarephath:

God sent Elijah to the widow at Zarephath where God told him he would be provided for by a widow with a son.  What God did not tell Elijah is that the widow could barely provide for herself and her child, let alone give food to someone else.

And so the widow said

Single Mom Bible Verse & Bible Verses For Single Moms: As surely as the Lord your God lives, she replied, I don’t have any bread” only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it”and die. 1 Kings 17:12

Remember the situation that I told you about where I felt like this widow when I was struggling to make ends meet.  I got laid off from my really good job after I just bought my house and I literally was watching my account balance on zero, I felt this way.  I was a single mom trying to pay the mortgage, keep up with the bills, and pay for food.  I literally sat one day in the kitchen and looked at my empty fridge and cabinets, knowing that I had very little food to eat, no real money to buy any more food.

And I remember relating to this widow, feeling like after my son eats up this last bit of food we will lay down and die of starvation because I could not afford to buy more. Of course, I am still alive as is my son because God figured out a way to provide for us.  He told me to go to a church and there they gave me a substantial amount of food. And he made a way BUT that does not discount the fact that you may need encouragement because as a single mom you may find yourself in this situation.

Since I have experienced God coming through for me when it comes to food the widow is a reminder of that because that is exactly what he did for this widow.  Which I actually go more in detail about in the video down below.

She took a leap of faith even though she had no food for herself and for her son, she decided to not pay attention to what she saw in the material world.  And that was typical if you give food away when you are poor that you are going to have less food and not more. BUT she chose to give Elijah her last bit of food off of the strength that he was a man of God, and God provided for her.

Single Mom Bible Verse & Bible Verses For Single Moms: So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 1 Kings 17: 15-16

What we can learn from this widow is that no matter where your job is if you have one, if you are underpaid (click to read my blog here), looking for a job, broke, recently widowed or whatever situation. You may be feeling like you will just sit back and let the chips fall where they may and lay and die.

Do not lay down and die.  God has a way of turning things around.  I know this because I lived it and when I go to my kitchen now there is more than enough food.  Not only did God provide for me during that time but He still provides now.  As a single mother when you feel like you have nothing else to do and nowhere else to turn, and you are sitting around broke as a joke then turn to God and allow him to fix it.

2.  Single Mothers in the Bible & Single Moms Bible Study  ~ Abraham and Hagar

This is actually one of my favorite single mothers in the Bible because if you are stuck doing it alone without the help of your child’s father or no child support then the story of Hagar is the single mom Bible study that you want to look to.

We all know the story of Abraham and Hagar. Many of us cheer for Sarah and resent Hagar because she laid down with Abraham, Sarah’s husband, and had a child.  But I also felt sorry for Hagar.

I mean think about it, Hagar was forced to sleep with Abraham by Sarah, and then when she got pregnant Sarah resented her for the child she told or MADE Hagar have. AND then to top it all off Abraham sent Hagar and her child Ishmael away because he was not the child that God has promised and there they went into the desert.  With a small bottle of water and a little bit of food. How depressing.

If you have not read my single mother story then I encourage you to read it here.  I will give a brief overview as to why I relate to Hagar so much. That is because after my son was a year old I found out is his father was MARRIED. That was while he was in prison by the way. Which happened soon after my son was born.

I may have looked like the bad guy but I did not know he was married. In fact, he didn’t even tell me he was still legally married but I found out through the prison system.  Right along when I found out that he had a girlfriend (among other women while he was in prison). I can recall when I found out this information, I felt a lot like Hagar going into the desert with me and my son.

Allowing his father to be in whatever situation with his girlfriend and wife, and whoever else at this point.  And beyond the women,  he was not interested in doing anything for me or my son.  Not seeing him and not paying child support.  So into the desert, I went, just like Hagar. With a little bit of food and water, hoping for the best.

Single Mom Bible Verse & Bible Verses About Single Moms: Early the next morning Abraham got some food and a bottle of water. The bottle was made out of animal skin. He gave the food and water to Hagar, placing them on her shoulders. Then he sent her away with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. Genesis 21:14

What single mothers can learn from Hagar is that sometimes there are mothers out there living in the desert having been sent away by their children’s fathers.  They are out there wandering around doing it on their own, feeling as if they are in a desolate place. And Hagar sat in the middle of the desert waiting for her and her son to die. BUT an amazing thing happened.  And this is the same point that I mentioned in my video below for the lonely single mom. Which you can view below:

But in these moments when you are stuck doing it all on your own you do have a choice and the choice is to sit there and die OR to choose to see something positive in the situation. Because if God is there, then there is something positive.  Hagar literally sat in the middle of the desert getting ready to die of thirst, when God opened her eyes and there was a well right in front of her.

 Single Mom Bible Verses & Bible Verses About Single Moms: When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.  Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”  Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. Genesis 21:17-20

There are some points that I have highlighted here in regards to Hagar.  That in the midst of her pain God was always with her, He was with her in the desert, and He was with her as she raised her son and as the boy grew up. And even when she sat and thought all hope was lost there was a well right in front of her face.

The point is that no matter your situation God is always with you providing a way out and never get so caught up in your hardship that you start to think you are going to die of thirst because God is going to present you with a well. But if you are so caught up in your pain then you will surely miss it.  I always suggest that you read the story of Hagar as a Single mom Bible study, I know that for myself I have drawn so many lessons from it.

3. Single Mothers in the Bible & Single Moms Bible Study ~ Naomi and Ruth

Naomi makes the list of single mothers in the Bible because to me she is a single mother but in a less traditional way.  Naomi had two sons (both of who were married) and a husband.  All of the men died in her life.  So Naomi was left with two daughters-in-law.  Her biological children did die but she was still a mother to these two women who were married to her sons, one being Ruth.

Being an older woman whose entire family was gone Naomi probably thought she would not have any more children or even grandchildren.  Even her daughters-in-law were grown and she did not expect them to stay with her as she traveled back to her homeland.  Naomi was bitter and thought that her life would never get better

Single Mom Bible Verses & Bible Verses For Single Moms: Don’t call me Naomi she told them. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me. Ruth 1:20-21

Ruth took on the responsibility of providing for her mother in law and there she meant Boaz.  Ruth was a little lost on the sauce on what to do about Boaz and it was Naomi who advised Ruth on what to and really pushed along her relationship with Boaz.

Bible verses for single moms & Bible verses about single moms: One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Ruth 3:1

And so we know the story of Ruth and Boaz (click my blog here). She had a child with Boaz and Naomi’s entire faith was restored.  Even in the Bible, it says that Naomi has a son, not Ruth’s son, even though it was Ruth and Boaz’s child.

Single Mom Bible verse & Bible verses for single moms: The women said to Naomi: Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth. Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, Naomi has a son! Ruth 4: 14-16

What we can learn from Naomi is that no matter how bad things may seem, you do not know what God is doing, where He is taking you, or why He has taken everything that you hold dear.  You can see that with Naomi, you have to trust what God is doing.  The pain that Naomi felt only lasted for a little while.

And like Naomi, sometimes God is putting you through those situations to get you to a better situation. After all, the child that Ruth gave birth to is the grandfather or David who was a man after God’s own heart (read my blogs here and here on David).  Had the hardship that Naomi felt not happened then we may not have a David and if we did not have a David, then we may not have a Solomon, and so on and so forth.

I know that being a single mother is hard, but reading these single mothers in the Bible stories to be a reminder to you that God has not forgotten about you. And as he saw these women through he will see you though as well.

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Also, did you know that I have a single mom devotional and it is a best seller on Amazon?  Click here to buy it or if you want to get a few of the chapters for free then click here.