4 Signs God is Preparing You for Marriage
You might be wondering, will I ever get married? Whether you’re in a relationship or not there are skills that you should acquire before you get married. Even when you do get married there are things about yourself that you need to learn. Marriage (especially at the beginning) requires adjustment and if you’re unwilling to compromise and be flexible then you probably need to wait a few years.
No matter how mature you think you are, God still has to bring us to an understanding of how to exist in a marriage. A lot of Christian marriages fail today because people rush for fear of running out of time. When the reality is that they should have probably sought further guidance and waited a bit longer before organizing the wedding. They just were not ready.
Ready or not
Whether you’re ready for marriage or not is regardless of age. Genesis 25:20 tells us that Issac was forty when he married Rebekah by today’s standards some might say that’s a bit old to be getting married for the first time but God does not operate on our timing.
Retroactively, I noticed that there were some things in my life that changed leading up to when I was getting married. My perspective on a relationship adjusted and I began to understand what the Bible meant when Genesis 2:24 says ‘they shall be one flesh’. God prepares your mindset for marriage and it happens whether you’re in a relationship or God hasn’t led you to the one as yet.
Related Post: Signs God has sent you the one
So here are 4 Signs God is preparing you for marriage:
1. You have an understanding of yourself
The first clear sign that God is preparing you for your wedding day is that you’ve matured. Maturity is the secret sauce for marriage. It is the ability to understand yourself and how your actions and words can/may affect others. It is the ability to be humble and say sorry when you need to.
Maturity is an essential element for marriage because it helps us to understand that we are not perfect (Romans 3:23). This understanding helps us to rely on God more and we can be more forgiving of our spouse because we know God has forgiven us. If you find yourself becoming more reflective of your behaviours congratulations you’re growing up and it could be a sign that God is about to place that special person in your life.
2. You’re learning to be flexible
Marriage combines two people from different upbringings and sometimes even from different cultures. These differences can be a source of conflict. A sign that God is preparing you for marriage is when you find yourself better able to adapt and be flexible. Compromise is key. If the two parties involved are unwilling to compromise, it might be a sign that they are unequally yoked.
When two people are willing to put their differences aside for the betterment of the relationship it’s a sign that both parties are learning to be patient and they’re not going to have a panic attack when a small detail from their plan changes.
3. You’re acquiring skills that can make a stable home
There are some skills and items needed to make a happy home. In order for us to survive our basic needs must be met i.e. food, shelter, water and clothing. When you get married you’re going to live together (most people anyway) which means that you’re going to have to account for these needs. Whether you have children or not bills still need to be paid, food acquired and the house maintained and someone has to do it.
A sign that God is preparing you for marriage is when you’re learning to acquire the necessary skills to make a stable home. This may mean you have consistent income coming or you’ve learned to cook something other than ramen or you’ve finished school and can now focus on a family.
For instance, my husband and I only got married after we bought a house (which took a few years), it was important to us that we wouldn’t be renting when we were married. This level of preparedness can mean different things to different people but it’s important to wait for God’s timing.
4. You’re learning to be less selfish
Lastly, the sign that stood out the most to me was that I learned to be less selfish. I can admit now that I was pretty selfish a few years ago. I refused to compromise on the things I wanted and the only thing that mattered to me was whether or not my needs were being fulfilled. I ended so many relationships because the guy didn’t do that one thing I wanted him to do. Thank God Jesus came into my life and began to change my heart.
Being selfless is one of the characteristics of Jesus and we can’t call ourselves true followers of Christ if the only person we think about is ourselves. The ability to care about the other person’s needs and desires is important in any relationship (not just marriage) because it reflects Christ. Therefore, God is constantly trying to mould us to be more like Him by helping us to be less selfish.
In Conclusion
In all things pray and seek God’s guidance. Some of us are called to marriage and some of us are not but in everything we do, we should strive to be like Christ. As we grow a closer relationship with Christ, He changes us to better reflect Him, 2 Corinthians 3:18. So even as He prepared you for marriage here on earth, He is also preparing your heart for that eternal marriage with Him.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:2
Thank you for taking the time to read this article today. If you have a question, query or story you’d like to share with me, please leave a comment or email me using the form below.
