This afternoon I went to the wedding of a former student. We met when she was in eleventh grade, and I have adored her ever since. A few weeks ago, in fact, I went to one of her bridal showers. And as we all sat in a circle and watched her unwrap her wedding gifts, I thought about how much care and compassion I’ve seen this particular bride offer people over the years. She loves the Lord, loves to minister, loves to serve. She and her new husband are absolutely perfect for each other, and I am so excited to see what the Lord is going to do through the ministry of their marriage.
So many times, I think, people sort of expect that this is how life will go: they’ll finish high school, finish college, get married, and then grown-up life will officially begin. That may very well be the case. But more than likely there will be some variables in that equation. You might decide you don’t want to finish college. You might decide to keep going after college and earn two more degrees. You might not get married for ten or fifteen years after you complete your education. Or you might not get married at all.
It’s interesting, though, that for many people, marriage is a part of God’s plan where they would really like to have some say-so. They would like to determine that, Yes, this is going to happen for me by such-and-such age. Or No thanks, God—because if it’s all the same to you, I can live really happily without having to meet someone else’s needs; I can barely take care of myself. And listen, I totally understand both mentalities. It’s so easy to get fixated on a time line, to be ready to fall in love (or not) and get married (or not) and get on with whatever’s next.
But marriage may or may not be part of God’s plan for your life. And as much as you might like to know what God has in store in terms of your future relationships, you’re not going to know that, say, tomorrow. You’re not going to get a note from the Lord that says, “Dear Beloved Child, here’s what I’ve decided is best for you regarding marriage.” Just like in a thousand other areas of your life, the Lord will reveal His plan when it’s time.
What you can control, though, is how you live your life between the now and the then. You can make wise choices. You can commit to serving Him at all ages and stages. Because as much as we might think otherwise, marriage is not the end goal of our lives on earth. Neither is our independence, for that matter.
So remember: there are parts of the future that you just can’t plan, and since that’s the case, you certainly don’t have to stress about them. The Lord will take care of you no matter what. He knows better than anyone that the primary purpose of your life is to glorify Him, and no matter where He leads, you want to be able to serve and lead without regrets. So wherever you are in your life, dig deep. Seek to know Him more and more. Honor Him in every season of your life.
Enjoy Him, worship Him, and make His name known. His time line is infinitely better than anything we could construct for ourselves.
1. Do you ever think about your wedding? Ever wonder what it might be like?
2. Do you think you have an idealistic view of marriage, a realistic view, or a pessimistic view? Explain.
3. Do you ever think about the ways that, as a single person, you could have a meaningful, beautiful life that impacts others for the kingdom of God?
4. Are there any goals you’d like to achieve in your twenties?
Today’s Prayer