Can't We All Just Get Along

I am the sort of person who reads marriage books, who wants something deeper than happiness, who thinks way too much about something that is not in my near future. No from self-pity or anything. I find marriage fascinating. It is the most complex, hardest, most stressful, and most rewarding relationship I think two humans can have.

I was told today that there is a book that says marriage is how you best understand God, relate to God, or something along those lines. And I just? No.

Obviously that is distressing for a perpetually single girl. Granted, 23 is not old maid town, but there's always the possibility I'll always be single. Again, not self pity. All possibilities are possible.

And that could be fine! I've heard the opposite argument, that you can't really serve God unless you're single, and I think that is also wrong. If these are circumstances beyond our control, why would our relationship with God be based on them? I think God is bigger than any human relationship or lack thereof.

Can you understand the character of God's love more easily after committing to spend your ife with someone who sometimes fails and disappoints you but you stay with them anyway? Sure. An you learn to rely on God alone and trust him and follow him more easily if you're single? Sure.

Different relationships show us different facets of God's character, but I don't believe that one is better than another.

Why not look at our current stage of life, our current relationships, and ask, "God, what are you teaching me? What can I learn about you right now?" God is no nearer or further from us at any point in our life.

So yeah, marriage is great and scary and can reveal a lot about God. But please don't tell me that you can learn more about God by being married. Society already tells me I'm a loser for being single. Don't make my spirituality second-class too.