Man's Place in Finding a Wife

I, like many, like to do things my way. But God seems to sometimes allow a person to get into situations in order to teach them. This is something that we, as apologists and evangelists should invite. This can be hard, especially early on in his career, but it is good.

Redesign:

The Holy Spirit teaches me that I must not only do things His way, or the way of others, but that I must not necessarily do things MY way. We must take the Spirits lead, and we understand His leading through the lens of the Word of God:

The Bible says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures...

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (NIV James 4).

And again:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (NIV 1 Peter 5).

See also Proverbs 18:22: “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.”

Can God fill the woman shaped hole in our lives? YES! "Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mathew 4:4). If God can fill our stomachs without food, the same logic applies. Compare with Phil. 4:11-12. In other words, we as men might recognize this "woman shaped hole" as such, but in the end, God is all we need. He provides for our every need.

"This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (NIV Jer. 17:5-8).

Written by Nace Howell through the grace of the Lord Jesus

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