Consider the Consequences - Marriage: Before You Say I Do

Last night before I went to bed, I noticed a piece of paper on my dresser that showed what my book sales were at the last event I ministered at. What caught my eye was that my book So You Want to Get Married? Let's Talk! sold the most copies. Immediately I chuckled within myself thinking, "Wow, this is still the heart beat of many single women."

Let me present to you a few questions. What is your heart beat concerning marriage? Do you desire marriage more than you desire God? Do you sense that God is preparing you for marriage? Are you ready to submit to His preparation? Are you even ready to get married? Here's the big question. What if you NEVER get married?

I challenge you to ponder these questions in your heart. I even further challenge you to write each question down, give it thoughtful consideration and write down your answers. This will help to serve as a guide in the direction that the Lord is perhaps leading you. Don't take these questions lightly. Your response to each of them will play a large part in your destiny.

I want you to consider the consequences of your answers before you say, "I do," or if you say, "I do." This is important because Dr. Poole and I have counseled many couples who are now married and on the brink of divorce because they simply were not ready to be married. Couples are getting divorced because either the husband or wife (mostly the wife) desired marriage more than they desired God.

The Bible says in Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." This passage has dual meaning. It means that if you delight in the Lord He will give you your hearts desire. It also means that if you delight yourself in the Lord He will give you inspired desires. Those are desires that the Lord Himself will put in your heart and He will bring those desires to pass.

So you see, you can't just go wanting things that the Lord has not put in your heart, especially something like marriage. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Trust Him in your single life and He will lead you in the direction of a spouse or a life of singleness with Him. Whatever the outcome, you must consider the consequences of why you want to get married BEFORE you say I do. God knows what He is doing in your life. All you have to do is learn trust in Him.

Well, that's it for today. I trust you have been blessed. Until next time.

The Kingdom Prevails in 2012,

Dr. Sheila

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