Where is my Soul Mate?

A friend posted an article entitled “I am not married to my soul mate” and opened it up for discussion. Do we choose the person we marry or is that person chosen for us?

I have several friends, including my daughter, who are in their late 20s or early 30s and they are waiting for the man God has chosen for them.  I just spoke to a friend this week on this topic as she is waiting patiently for a husband and I am waiting patiently for a son-in-law. As much as I would love to believe God has someone picked out for these girls and all they need to do is wait, I don’t think the Bible teaches that at all. As David Platt said this week, many times we come up with something that sounds biblical, when it really isn’t. When asked what he meant by this, his response, “it’s not in the Bible.” It does not say in the Bible that God has your spouse all picked out for you, I wish it did. 

Many of us quote Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you . . .” We love that verse but we have to remember that even though God has a plan for us, we make our own decisions and thats where I think we can mess up God's plan for us. Not that God isn't sovereign but we do have free will, the ability to make our own choices. 

I think about someone who struggles with addiction. Was it God’s plan for that person to become an addict? I don't see how sin (evil) could be God's plan but I do see how He uses it for good  Genesis 50:20 is one of my favorite verses and tells us that Satan meant it for evil but God meant it for good. 

The Bible teaches us to pray without ceasing. We are to pray about the decisions we make. I wish I could say I prayed for years for a godly husband and God gave me one. That is not my story at all. My story is that I made a crazy decision when I was 18 and married the first man I fell in love with. Because God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28), God has given me a godly marriage and has kept us together for almost 32 years.

Whether you married the “right” person or not, I believe that person becomes the right person when you take your marriage vows which is why God hates divorce just like He hates our many other sins. His desire for us is that we have a godly marriage that brings honor and glory to Him. 

Back to the single women I know. I would encourage you to continue to pray (as I know these women are doing) but I do not think your soul mate will come knocking on your door as you sit back and do nothing. I believe God will give you the desires of your heart in His time when you continually seek Him. Pray about what you need to do in order to find that special person and step out in faith and do it.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4