Some people feel a need to remarry and others do not. Not everyone who has lost a spouse wants to remarry or should remarry.
God knows what is best for my future and will direct. So far, though I am free to remarry, I believe He is directing me to remain single. Don't get me wrong, I loved being married and I adored Jackie. But I think one of the reasons I feel He is directing me to remain single is simply because I am an older man now. By God's grace, I can finish my earthly life without a wife perhaps more easily than a younger man. The principle Paul seems to articulate is that younger widows or widows who cannot control their passions should go ahead and remarry. Perhaps another reason why I have peace about not remarrying is that though I am lonely at times, I am also finding that there are areas where I need to grow that were somewhat masked while I was in a marriage relationship.
I have a work to do before I go to the Lord and have more growing to do. Grief, loneliness and singleness seem to be factors that God is using right now to stimulate, even agitate me toward growth and further the maturing process in my life.
I am however keenly aware that we thrive when we have healthy relationships at work, at home, at church, wherever we are. Studies show that people even live longer if they have healthy relationships. While I don't plan to remarry, I will need to always guard against isolationism and always seek out male and female friendships, and especially among God's people.
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A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. I Cor. 7:39
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. I Tim. 5:14
But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better. I Cor. 7:37, 38
God knows what is best for my future and will direct. So far, though I am free to remarry, I believe He is directing me to remain single. Don't get me wrong, I loved being married and I adored Jackie. But I think one of the reasons I feel He is directing me to remain single is simply because I am an older man now. By God's grace, I can finish my earthly life without a wife perhaps more easily than a younger man. The principle Paul seems to articulate is that younger widows or widows who cannot control their passions should go ahead and remarry. Perhaps another reason why I have peace about not remarrying is that though I am lonely at times, I am also finding that there are areas where I need to grow that were somewhat masked while I was in a marriage relationship.
I have a work to do before I go to the Lord and have more growing to do. Grief, loneliness and singleness seem to be factors that God is using right now to stimulate, even agitate me toward growth and further the maturing process in my life.
I am however keenly aware that we thrive when we have healthy relationships at work, at home, at church, wherever we are. Studies show that people even live longer if they have healthy relationships. While I don't plan to remarry, I will need to always guard against isolationism and always seek out male and female friendships, and especially among God's people.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. I Cor. 7:39
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. I Tim. 5:14
But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better. I Cor. 7:37, 38
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