The Lord God said, "it is not good for man to be alone," but...

I don't object to you disagreeing with somebody. I object to you casually dismissing somebody else's opinion and acting as though the person is a total idiot.

Hmm, where could I find a good example of... Oh here's one!

cinder I do believe this is where I am contractually obligated to deliver an "I told you so." Contract specifies it is to be delivered in a smug, but not condescending, tone of voice. Unfortunately in a text-based communication medium you will have to imagine the tone of voice.

I told you so!

My belief is, that if so desired, that God can indeed find a suitable mate if the prayer for such is aligned with God's will and desire to be accomplished in the person's life in this regard.

There may have been a few instances that God had indeed predestined a marriage, but again, probably to fulfill prophecy. This may still be true today but again, to accomplish a specific purpose of God.

I believe in the power of prayer in allowing God to search and find the one of your heart's desire, but again, this, as with any prayer, must be aligned with the express will and desire of God.

What I believe happens in a lot of instances is that God can provide a suitable mate, but that mate is rejected out of fear of rejection or commitment. The one that God is willing to provide may also be rejected for other various reasons such as not meeting one's standard of physical appearance and is unwilling to give that person a chance.

You reach a point in life where you either know what you want, or you don't. I also believe that God has a sense of humor and will answer a prayer that is perhaps not in the best interest of the person that said the prayer. Paul did say that those that get married can expect problems during the marriage, problems that a single person may not face.

Soulmates? No, not really.

It has been my experience and observation that those that really want to settle down with a loving and faithful spouse will find a way to do it. Hopefully, by the grace of God. I have always said that entering into a prospective relationship is a calculated risk. Eventually, you have to shake the dice, let them fly and let the chips fall where they may.

The game of love is not for those that are timid or tentative.

That's just the way that it is.

The Bible does mention soul mates, but it’s not the same idea that the world has created in terms of “finding the one.” Instead of looking for a “sole" mate, inquire of God’s wisdom to find the one He has for you. Rather than looking for a perfect match, be a perfect match. Remembering that true love is sacrificial love, not self-serving. It is patient and kind. It refuses to be envious boastful or proud. It honors others, is not irritable and let’s bygones be bygones. It always protects, trusts, hopes for the best and endures through every circumstance. So don’t get caught up in the hype. Submit your love life to God, find someone who loves The Lord and has these qualities and you will have found your “soul mate.”

Thank you 🙂 this is what I was looking for… something in the Word that addresses this one way or the other. So question becomes is this an isolated occurrence or did He appoint a suitable helper for all believers who have the desire… obviously I’m leaning towards the latter

I fully concur with your estimate. Your sense on this issue is right on target, especially the part of to submit your love life to God. At least that is what I did. My marriage to JesusLives is not perfect but she is the one of my heart's desire. God certainly answered my prayer in this regard.

"Now I know the woman that you are,
You're wonderful so far,
And it's more than I hoped for."

Yes, indeed.

Oh come on! Four pages and nobody has done the shoe joke yet? I thought it was a basic requirement for a soulmate thread.

*sigh

Fine. I'll do it myself.

My solemate is Whitin. Good shoes, moderately comfortable, and they have a zero-drop ratio so I can walk as though I was barefoot.

This thread has me thinking more and more about the concept of God creating one special soulmate for each of us and why it seems to have so many complications.

I understand the story of Isaac and Rebekah -- but to put it bluntly, they also put each other through hell. If theirs was supposed to be a match made in heaven, it certainly didn't play out that way.

And if God really does only create one specific soulmate for each person, what about:

1. The police officer at my childhood church who was shot and killed in the line of duty at age 37. He left behind a wife and 2 young boys (one of them sat behind me in study hall.) It was a huge deal because he was attending the church picnic when he got the call, so our church members were the last ones to see him alive.

If him and his wife were meant to be exclusive soulmates, was she never to marry again?

And what about the following stories in the Bible?

1. King David had 8 wives named in the Bible -- but it also tells us that he had other wives and concubines in addition.

Which one was his specifically God-created and predestined soulmate?

2. Everyone knows about Abraham's wife Sarah, the mother of Isaac. But after Sarah died, Abraham took a second wife, Keturah, and had children with her as well.

Which wife was Abraham's soulmate, Sarah or Keturah?

3. Judah, one of the Jacob's sons (the 12 Tribes of Israel, from which we get the Lion of Judah,) had a firstborn son, Er, whom Judah found a wife for and her name was Tamar.

But the Bible says Er did evil, and God put him to death. So it was the custom that the next brother would marry the widow and have children in his brother's name. From this, we get the infamous story of Onan, which is another discussion in itself. But Onan didn't learn from his brother's example, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and was killed as well.

Long story short, Judah was supposed to give the last brother to Tamar but he refused, and she had to trick him into sleeping with her before he would let the last brother marry her.

Which of the three brothers would have then been Tamar's soulmate?

4. Likewise, out of all the thousand+ women Solomon had, which one would have been his designated soulmate, and how would he have known?

The Bible seems to have more stories like these than that of Adam and Eve or Isaac and Rebekah.

Again, I'm not ruling out the possibility of soulmates, but it seems that instances like this were either extremely rare, or else many Biblical figures got things wrong by either adding in numbers to their God-given soulmate, or they never found that person because they were too busy marrying just about everyone else instead.

Then there is the whole theology that God allows you to grow in Christ to be able to have a good relationship with someone...so long as you choose well.

Joseph and Mary were specifically chosen. (You forgot them)
But they were to be parents for Jesus.

To think that God has someone special or specifically chosen for you is to claim God NEEDS you. Meaning that you are likely suffering from the sin of pride/Vanity. (Wayyyyy too common)

But that doesn't mean that God doesn't bless marriages. He most certainly has and will. Seen Him do it in my life and others repeatedly.

"Out of the abundance in a person's heart flows what is there. Good fruit doesn't come from bad trees"

Let's not even talk about all the soulmates Solomon had...

Can we discuss the concubines?

*konks JohnDB in da bines

*groan* I was hoping no one would make the leap from "Soul" to "Sole".

Sorry ma'am. It's a government required mandate for every soulmate thread.

See....in the meantime we are trying to hook @seoulsearch and @Lynx up with a new boyfriend/girlfriend that they won't like while they are unaware of the manipulation the whole time.

So....we need to get back to the regularly scheduled manipulation.

Bap puns come with the romantic interest....some sort of law or something.

I wasn't planning on a positive discussion....

It is obviously that Solomon did not have a soulmate(s) but hundreds of wives and concubines. In the end these women led to his demise as he was no longer following God but many other gods. He may have been the wisest man to ever live but he was also the most foolish of men.

Oh great. Thanks for the warning.

*Lynx goes off to prepare his flamethrower. Again.