Pressured to Marry

When I was much younger, I couldn't wait to get married. I was almost desperate. I thought marriage was the answer for my problems. However, at some point God helped me to understand that my eagerness was not coming from Him. It wasn't even coming from inside of me. It was external influences.

There were people who would always ask, "Are you dating anybody" or "When are you getting married?" I started noticing little things on television, even commercials, which glorified relationships. God's message really hit home one day when I was in a department store looking for a book. He drew my attention to one section of the shelf that was set apart for paperback novels. There were about one hundred different titles on the shelf. Every single one of the books had a cover that pictured a man and woman in an intimate position. All these things can influence your thinking about your life. The fact is society as a whole can make you feel like you're supposed to be in a romantic relationship, and something is wrong with you if you're not.

Once I realized where the pressure to marry was coming from, I also recognized the lack of authority of the sources. I had made God the authoritative voice in my life, and He was not the one pushing me to marry. It's not that marriage wasn't in His plan for me, but it wasn't the right time and making me feel desperate was not His method.

So, if you've been struggling with singleness, try to understand why. Where is the pressure coming from? Who or what is your authoritative voice? Who or what do you allow to speak into your life? Is it really a good source? Is that where the pressure is coming from? If it's not coming from someone or something that you really respect for knowing what's best for you, then ignore it. Hopefully, your goal is to follow God’s plan. Acknowledge and trust Him. He knows what to do with your life.