Proactively Pursue Marriage
Proactively Pursuing Marriage
Most of us are called to marriage. If you are not called to celibacy and service (1 Corinthians 7) then a significant priority for this season of your life is preparing for and moving toward a Biblical marriage. We have a responsibility to be faithful in our part of the process, and wait on God to do His part. How does a person who hopes to marry become intentional?
STEP ONE: Seek DirectionWithin Christian Community
We live in a day of hyper individualism where people feel very little sense of obligation to others. God calls us, however, to vibrant community within our families and within the body of Christ. That community is the source for much of our growth as Christians, and it’s one of the best means for meeting a potential spouse and receiving guidance and support toward marriage. Marriage experts still consider matches made by friends, family and churches to be among the best.
STEP TWO: Move Beyond Recreational Relationships
One of the clearest messages for singles in the Bible is the call to sexual purity (1 Corinthians 6:13-18, Ephesians 5:3 and Colossians 3:5). That is proving to be a difficult challenge in a day when only a quarter of Christians are virgins when they marry. Sexual purity, however, is the primary means for intentionally moving toward marriage in a recreational relationship culture. Couples who stay sexually pure honor God and avoid much of the confusion that plagues many of today’s relationships.
STEP THREE: Seek the Right Mate
A study by the National Marriage Project found that 94% of young adults believe the person they marry should be their soul mate first and foremost. That pursuit leaves many looking in vain for the perfect person who is specially designed to complete them.The Bible and marriage research tell us that the more important “soul” mate to seek out is someone who shares your spiritual commitment. Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians that a potential spouse “must belong to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). Singles should seek someone with whom they are able to serve God better together than apart. Further, they know that instead of seeking someone to complete them, they are called to lay down their life for another. That makes for a much more realistic path to finding a good fit for marriage.
STEP FOUR: Be Proactive
Titus 2 strongly encourages young men and women to learn from older men and women. In addition to Christian discipleship, you also can ask mentors for candid feedback about how you can improve in a variety of areas to be more prepared for marriage.Additionally, there’s nothing wrong with asking mentors to keep you in mind as they become aware of other singles seeking a Godly spouse. Some of your best opportunities to be proactive will grow out of faithful prayer. As you pray, God will open your eyes to opportunities you may have missed to take proactive steps toward marriage. It’s important to note that men have a distinct responsibility in proactively finding a mate. Genesis 2:24 says that a man will leave his parents and cleave to his wife. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife, finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” Notice it doesn’t say “he who stumbles over a wife” as if it is a happenstance occurrence. God calls men to do their part in seeking out women of character and showing leadership in pursuing a woman for marriage. Specifically, men should be willing to take the risk of rejection which requires a measure of faith and leadership.
GOING FURTHER - Resources
The Sacred Search (by Gary Thomas) helps those who hope to marry replace the “soul mate” myth with a biblical perspective on dating.
Get Married: What Women Can Do to Help It Happen (by Candice Watters) explains why marriage is an honorable pursuit and shows how women can live like they are planning to marry.
A Guy’s/Girl’s Guide to Marrying Well - Boundless.org has put together short, practical guides for singles to help them become proactive about whether, how and who to marry. (Available as a free download at www.boundless.org/guys or boundless.org/girls)
Boundless.org is a webzine for young adults. Its most popular articles are those about finding a Godly spouse and dating according to Biblical principles.
GOING FURTHER - Hopewell Support
Discipleship Groups
Hopewell offers a variety of Adult Discipleship Groups for every season of life. You can search for the right fit by using the Discipleship Group Finder on our website or email the Hope@Home Team for more assistance at
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