Did you know that according to Proverbs 18:14 "a man's spirit sustains him in sickness"? Women don't try this at home because it only applies to men. In fact, the opposite is true for you. I'm sorry, ladies, but your spirit will fail you when you're ill.
If the logic seems a bit strange to you, imagine my reaction when people tell me that by looking for my husband, I am going against God's plan for my life. After all, they cite, the Bible says in Proverbs 18:22 that "HE who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." So the opposite must be true. Right???
Not so fast. I think we're drawing conclusions where's there's none to be had. Reading through Proverbs, it seems as though it was written as an instruction manual for men. In this book, for the most part, there aren't instructions that address women. Even the infamous Proverbs 31 is offering tips to men on how to identify a good wife.
However, I do think both genders can benefit from the wisdom of Proverbs. So, perhaps verse 18:22 isn't telling women what not to do, but it is instead a reminder to men, who often times under value the blessings and benefits of marriage (especially in this day and age), that they should think differently about making a commitment to a woman. The scripture is encouraging men -- and that doesn't mean it's discouraging women, just as the other verses in Proverbs that use a "he" pronoun or that refer to men aren't discouraging the women to act on all the wise sayings in the book.
I also realize that I'm not alone in my pursuits to find my husband. Most women who desire marriage are looking for it whether they acknowledge it or not. If you've ever signed up for ANY dating website, be it ChristianCafe, Eharmony or ChristianMingle you are pursuing love. If you ever said yes to a blind date set up by family or friends; if you ever attended a singles event in hopes of meeting someone; if you ever met a stranger and looked to see if their was a ring on his finger and when their wasn't batted your eyes, giggled or any of the other coy methods women use, you are actively looking for a husband.
You may not launch your own website or go on national television to share your story, but you are still on a search. And that's okay because according to scripture once you find your spouse you'll receive favor from the Lord! And as all married couples will tell you, marriage is hard work, so you're definitely going to need favor from God.
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