Happiness Without Marriage in the Past

9. Why did Jephthah’s daughter receive yearly commendation?

⁹ Many of God’s servants have found true happiness without marriage. Out of respect for her father’s vow, Jephthah’s daughter remained single. For a time she and her girl companions wept over her virginity. But what joy she had serving full-time at Jehovah’s house, perhaps among “the women servants who did organized service at the entrance of the tent of meeting”! (Exodus 38:8) For this, she received yearly commendation.​—Judges 11:37-40.

10. What did Jehovah require of Jeremiah, and does it appear that he led an unhappy life as a result?

¹⁰ Because of the dramatic times in which the prophet Jeremiah lived, God required that he refrain from marrying and raising children. (Jeremiah 16:1-4) But Jeremiah experienced the truthfulness of God’s words: “Blessed is the able-bodied man who puts his trust in Jehovah, and whose confidence Jehovah has become.” (Jeremiah 17:7) Throughout more than 40 years of prophetic service, Jeremiah served God faithfully as a single man. As far as we know, he never did get married and have children. Yet, who can doubt that Jeremiah was happy, like the faithful Jewish remnant that ‘became radiant over the goodness of Jehovah’?​—Jeremiah 31:12.

11. What are some Scriptural examples of Jehovah’s faithful servants who were happy although they did not have a marriage mate?

¹¹ Many other people have served Jehovah joyfully without a marriage mate. They were either single, widows, or widowers. Among them were the prophetess Anna; probably Dorcas, or Tabitha; the apostle Paul; and the greatest example of all​—Jesus Christ.

Single but Happy Today

12. For what have some of Jehovah’s happy, dedicated servants made room today, and why?

¹² Today, thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses are faithfully serving God without a marriage partner. Some have been able to accept Jesus’ invitation: “Let him that can make room for [the gift of singleness] make room for it.” They have done this “on account of the kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 19:11, 12) That is, they have put their God-given freedom to good use by devoting more time and energy to promoting Kingdom interests. Many of them are serving as pioneers, missionaries, or members of the Bethel family at the Watch Tower Society’s world headquarters or at one of its branches.

13. What examples show that a Christian can be single and happy?

¹³ One dear elderly sister gave her life story the telltale title “Single and Happy as a Pioneer.” (The Watchtower, May 1, 1985, pages 23-6) Another single sister who spent over 50 years serving at Bethel stated: “I am fully satisfied with my life and my work. I am busier now than ever before in a work that I dearly love. I have no regrets. I would make the same decision again.”​—The Watchtower, June 15, 1982, page 15.

The elderly sister mentioned earlier volunteered to serve in an African country when, to quote her, she was “a somewhat fragile woman over 50 years of age.” And she stayed there, even during a ban, when all the missionaries were expelled. She is still serving there as a pioneer, although she is now over 80 years of age. Is she happy? In her life story she wrote: “I was able to use the extra freedom and mobility that singleness affords to keep busy in the ministry, and this has brought me great happiness. . . . Over the years my relationship with Jehovah has deepened. As a single woman in an African country, I have seen him as a Protector.”

¹⁸ Noteworthy, too, are the words of a brother who served at the Watch Tower Society’s headquarters for decades. He was happy, though he never got married and though he had a heavenly hope with no prospect of marriage. At the age of 79, he wrote: “Every day I ask our dear heavenly Father in prayer for help and wisdom to keep myself spiritually as well as physically healthy and strong so that I can keep on doing his holy will. During these past forty-nine years in Jehovah’s service I have indeed enjoyed a happy, rewarding and blessed way of life. And with Jehovah’s undeserved kindness I am looking forward to continued service to his honor and glory and to the blessing of his people. . . . [The] joy of Jehovah helps me to keep up the good fight of faith, looking forward to the time when Jehovah’s enemies are no more and all the earth is filled with his glory.”​—Numbers 14:21; Nehemiah 8:10; The Watchtower, November 15, 1968, pages 699-702.