Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, you have every right to ask God to make another person favorably disposed toward being your spouse and/or to order events in that direction.

However, God is omniscient, while we are not. He also always makes events work together for the good of His followers (Romans 8:28), even if we may not be able to see from our perspective how that applies to a particular circumstance at a specific point in time. And he has given people (both you and the person about whom you are praying) free will, as well.

My experience has been that, if we ask God for His help, and do on our part the best that we can to achieve the objective that we hope for, and yet we still do not attain it, then God is speaking to us through those circumstances, and we should be willing to accept the outcome, learn from the experience, and trust in God to provide what we seek -- that is (in this case), the spouse whom He intends for us, even if it is not the specific person we may currently have in mind -- in His time.

Speaking just for myself, I know that I experienced multiple occasions when I hoped that I might have found my "intended" life partner, but things did not work out. And yet, looking back, those disappointments prepared me to deal with challenges that arose (as they can between any two people, in my opinion) in the years after I finally did find the one whom I now believe He meant for me (as He validated for me by a confluence of external circumstances that were too numerous and too specific to be merely coincidence).

If I had not had that previous "schooling" (unpleasant as it may have been at the time), my marriage might not have lasted as long as it has, because I would not have had the necessary perspective about which things are really important versus which are not. And, as deep as the feelings were that I might have had in those previous relationships, I would not trade what I have today for even the best that I might possibly have had with any of those other individuals.

March 28 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Sam Hershey Supporter

I believe you can indeed, but to that I would ask, "What makes you want them as a spouse?" Perhaps as you pray for this person to become your spouse you can point out those qualities to God, and ask Him that if it is not His will to make "Ann" (just so we have a name) your spouse to put somebody in your path with Ann's qualities.

January 04 2024 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

You can ask God all you want, but you may not get the assistance that you are expecting (granting or denying).

1 Cor 7:8-9
"I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn."

(By the way, that would be "burn" as in lust...not fire.)

It sounds to me that Paul is reminding us to focus on the "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" that we have already been gifted (Eph 1:3), rather than the carnal and earthly gifts that may have been awarded to God's covenant earthly people in "times past".

Col 3:1
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

This question is really no different than Paul's request to God three times to have the "thorn in his flesh" removed. God's response was always that His grace was sufficient. That tells me that God's grace is all that we should expect from Him during this current age (Eph 3:2).

2 Cor 12:7-10
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Eph 2:2-7
"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

January 04 2024 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report