the end of this journey

[someday]

There's a board called "someday" on my pinterest. That someday in the future I sometimes dream about. That someday when I finally find my someone, when I finally get to put on that dress, and say my yes to forever. That someday with a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, with friends and family and flowers and champagne. That someday with dancing in lights and laughters. And then the clock hits, and my guests leave, the lights fade, and I go home as a newly wedded bride...


And what comes after that someday?


Girls spend too much timing dreaming about their perfect weddings, their future husband, and family, and whatnot. But really though, that's not what we're here for. We are put here for a greater mission, and if having a marriage helps you to carry out your mission more affectively, as a married couple, as a family, then so be it. Bottom line is, marriage is not everything. Marriage is not forever. Your life is eternal, marriage is not.

Darn. If you've read Francis Chan's new book that came out this year, you know where I'm getting that from. And it's silly because I honestly didn't enjoy that book as much as I thought I would. Let me tell you why. Just kidding kids go read that book, even if you're single, like me, it's a great book with great insights. But with all seriousness, I've been thinking about that for a while now, and feeling ashamed of myself for putting so much hope in that someday of mine.

Here's the deal. Jesus has a commandment for us. And that is to love God the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength and all your mind (luke 10:27), and to make disciples of all nations (matthew 28:19). Marriages are great (I mean, what do I know? It's a blessing when it's done right), but they can be so distracting from what our real callings are. I know I have been distracted, with the mindset of which that someday is the end of my greatest love story. And because I thought that way, and still do from time to time, I seek Jesus in people. That's going to sound odd. But let me explain. I hurt so much, from relationship A to relationship B, I hurt so much from them. I was too busy looking for Jesus in people, and I fell for that little piece of Jesus in them, thinking that this is it! That's Jesus! This boy is going to be like Jesus, he is going to demonstrate Christ's kind of love to me! Ah I've waited all my life (20 years) for this! Then in reality, obviously, they are not Jesus, far from it! I was looking for Jesus in people for too long, then people failed and walked away, then I got all heartbroken, all skeptical, all bitter, forgetting hat Jesus, Himself, is never going to fail or walk away.

While it is good to look for godly traits in people, it distracts me from seeking God in Him Himself, from putting all my heart, soul, mind and strength in His promise and His unchanging faithfulness. I forget my mission. I forget that I'm called by Him, not to find a husband, not to have a beautiful marriage, nor to have a happy family. Of course, if those are given during my mission, then that's great, all glory to Him. But that is not, by no means, the end of this journey. Gosh, women, you all need to get this right. Your greatest mission on earth is not to find a husband, and your greatest story is not just a happy marriage.  You're designed to have more than that! (Wait, God wants to give us more? Unbelievable! Underserving!) But yes, He loves us with a jealous love.

Someday is great. Whether it be during my time on earth that I'm blessed with a husband to pursue this mission together, a marriage that shows me more clearly of Christ's sacrificial love for the church, and a family of Jesus followers to carry on this mission, OR it be the day when I meet Him face to face, Jesus, who is going to marry us for eternity. Refocus yourself to God, not your (Christ like) spouse.