The Idol of Marriage

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33. Words to live by.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about idols and single Christian women who desire to be married. Don't know why because most days, I really don't think much about getting married. I try my best to live out the whole Matthew 6:33 thing. I know me well enough to know that if I put too much focus on relationships, marriage or even my present single state, those thoughts will take off like an unmanned trained, guaranteed destruction.

In this day and age, being a single Christian woman is kinda tough. We are bombarded with various how to guides on how to stay pure, stay focused on God, being the best you, enjoying your single life, preparing to be a wife, not settling for anything less than God's best, yada yada yada. We listen to the sermons, we pray, we fast, we serve, we do missions work, we tithe, we flee from sin, we stay pure. And we wait.

And wait. And wait some more. Before you know it, all of your single friends are now married women. Except you. You wonder if you didn't pray enough, was I not diligent enough in seeking God, was I not pretty enough, smart enough. You start to doubt yourself, start to wonder if God has forgotten about you. You hold on to some glimmer of faith whenever a man compliments you, that maybe he is the one. Before you know it, you are consumed with the idea of being in a relationship that will lead to that happily ever after. You dress to impress the opposite sex more, you become more availble by forgoing things you used to enjoy, you compromise for the sake of affection. Anything that will bring you closer to those wedding bells that you know you rightly deserve.

You worship the idol of marriage.

Having that marriage covenant becomes more important that the most important covenant, our covenant with our Savior. It saddens me when I see women I know compromise get so engrossed in finding the one that they don't allow God to prepare them to be the one worth finding. They have become impatient and feel like they have to take matters into their own hands when it comes to finding a husband.

God created the universe so I am pretty sure he doesn't need my help finding me a husband.

Exodus 20:3 says that we should have no other gods before Him. Even the idol of marriage.

One of my favorite bloggers, Shellie R. Warren penned a heart felt "Letter to My Single Daughters from God. My favorite portion of the letter says:

Again, don’t concern yourself about the time. I am timeless. Concern yourself instead with remaining in my hands so that I can perfect you to be all that he needs--- so that when it’s the right moment, there will be no fear, no hesitation, no question that you are indeed the one that he is meant to live out the rest of his days on the earth with. Far too many women are not praised on their wedding day by their husbands in the way I would’ve liked because they did not allow me the opportunity to complete them to be what was required, and the man was not discerning enough to know the true purpose that his companion was meant to serve in his life.

Wait for His best. Don't settle. Don't compromise. Keep the Kingdom first. God will take care of the happily ever after. He doesn't need our help.