I feel like the past few weeks, everywhere I go I am surrounded by all things marriage. I had a friend get engaged about four weeks ago… and they are rigorously planning their wedding. I have another friend who is almost done with the planning, just putting the final touches on an early spring wedding. I had dinner this past weekend with a single guy and we spent a great deal of time talking about a wedding in his family and mentioned that the young adult group he goes to regularly just finished a whole series on relationships. Just yesterday I was talking with a friend who is a wedding photographer, and another friend who does wedding videos. Not more than a week ago my roommate from freshman year proposed to his girlfriend. I was sent another email just 10 days ago about filming a wedding myself. Currently I am building a website for another couple who is doing a digital announcement/invitation package for their wedding.. (insert breath)… and on top of ALL of this, our church just spent two weeks on marriage.
It just seems like everywhere I go, my generation seems to be obsessed with marriage, weddings and the world that is surrounded by it. I’m not saying thats inherently a bad thing, I think that just happens to be what the world tells us to do when we graduate. I mean culture says the path to life is to get through middle school and high school then graduate college and when thats all done the next phase is to get married?
I mean the reality is that when I think of a ring the first thing that comes to mind is this…
yeah… that’s right, the Lord of the Rings. I don’t know why… but it’s not some pretty diamond ring right now.
I think all the energy that culture tells us to spend on marriage is great and all IF it’s part of the GREAT STORY that God is calling us to. But this week at church our pastor said something that was amazing!!! he said:
The way we as christians need to decide whom to marry is like this: Run as hard and fast toward God each and every day focusing on His plan, His glory, His purposes… and if we happen to catch someone out of the corner of our vision… it’s in that moment, there’s an outside chance that’s the one.
I just love that… “RUN TOWARD GOD.” that’s it. right?
I just think there’s such power in that statement. That if we want to pursue the right girl or guy for whom we believe God has set up for us to be with the rest of our lives, all we need to do is RUN devotedly focused on Jesus! All the rest will fall in place.
so i dont know where this sits with you. I don’t know if you’re someone who sits up at night crying to know who it is that God has in store for you, or someone who has never really thought of marriage recently (if thats you, i’m actually shocked your still reading this). Maybe your in a relationship now and you feel like your in constant arguments with your boyfriend or girlfriend because one of you isn’t sure about marriage….
Regardless of where you are, I hope this speaks to you. I hope it provides light for your life, and peace that God has you exactly where you are for a purpose.
So instead of running hard to get a ring on your finger, or running hard to find the girl you supposed to be with for the rest of your life, lets slow down a bit and just get our focus right… then sprint toward God and allow him to figure the rest out. I can’t tell you for sure yet, but I am just going to guess that it will be worth the wait!
