Social media is filled with recent engagements, beautiful wedding photos, and the new cheesy Hashtags couples are coming up with for their relationship journey they feel the need to blast on social media. Call me "salty," because yes, I'm single, but I think marriage has lost its value within the last century. I am not saying that people who end up not getting married don't have strong long lasting relationships by any means. Personally, I believe that making that sort of commitment to someone is special and something that should be honored. It is no surprise that in this day and age, dating is completely awful. We suck at it as a generation. Picking someone up at the door and meeting their parents has turned into a text saying, "I am outside." Things are not the way they use to be, so there is no surprise that marriage isn't really looked at in a serious light as much anymore. When couples take the plunge they need to know that they are not just signing a paper that says they can now legally file their taxes jointly. It's way more than that.
Everyone is in such a rush to marry "the love of their life," but do you really understand what marriage means?
'Til Death Do Us Part.
Clearly, most people understand that marriage means spending the rest of your life together. When you posted that cliche "I said Yes!" picture with the expensive-ass ring he got you, how much time had you put into "Forever?" Blame it on the generation before ours with all the sex, drugs, and rock & roll, but divorce is far too prevalent these days. The older generations within the last century had marriages lasting 50-60 years and my generation is lucky to make it through the first 5. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and shouldn't be taken lightly. It's promising to God and to everyone present at the wedding/ceremony that two people plan to become one. That these two people love and cherish each other so much that they wish to become one in the eyes of God. That no matter what life throws at them they plan to stick it out together as a couple. Before taking it to the alter, consider the "Til death do us part" part, and make sure you want to do life for the rest of forever with your significant other.
Its not gonna be easy, its gonna be real REAL hard.
Life isn't easy so why do we expect marriage to be? Bills, work, children, in-laws-- it's a package deal. Along with marriage comes the stressers of life, and now it's not just your own, it's your partner's problem too. Be ready to be pushed to your wit's end, push back, and move forward. Learn to be a support system for the one you love. If you can't handle stress, marriage may not be for you.. and thats okay!
You don't have to get married.
Far too often, couples get married because they feel obligated to. So what if he popped the question? You can say no, or not now, or have one of those extra long engagements. So what if you have been together for years? DON'T LET PARENTS PUSH YOU. This is your decision and YOUR commitment to God. It's so much more than a beautiful ceremony and a piece of paper. It's forever & ever, amen.
