One of the most common questions I get about my book for singles, The Sacred Search, which gives a lot of advice about what to look for and what to avoid when choosing someone to marry, is “What if you can’t find a person like the one you describe?”
Singles who ask this question, and married people who are still asking this question, show by that very question a fundamental misunderstanding of marriage. Since this question is as relevant for married people as singles (it speaks to your satisfaction within marriage), I hope both groups will stay with me in this post.
In his book Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer, C.S. Lewis tells an imaginary friend (“Malcolm” never actually existed), “You and I have both known happy marriage. But how different our wives were from the imaginary mistresses of our adolescent dreams! So much less exquisitely adapted to all our wishes; and for that very reason (among others) so incomparably better.”
The real will never equate to the imaginary, but in one very true sense, that makes the real even better. How so?
When we “dream” of a spouse, we don’t dream of things to overcome; we dream of battles already won. We dream of the victory, not the fight; the ecstasy, not the moments of doubt. We dream of the moments of tenderness, not the chasms of misunderstanding. We dream of intimacy, not nights of distance. But it’s the battles, the fights, the doubts and the chasms that make up so much of what marriage actually is; and their presence makes overcoming them all the sweeter, richer, purer, and ultimately vastly more fulfilling.
LeBron James would get zero satisfaction out of beating me in a game of one-on-one basketball; yet he wept on national television when his team beat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship. It was the intense struggle and a worthy opponent that made his victory worthy of celebration.
Coffee never tastes better than when you first wake up after a long night, on a dreary day, feeling completely out of it. It’s the negative context that makes the positive solution feel so wonderful.
The question, “Where do I find someone like this?” (or, for marrieds, “Why didn’t I marry someone like that?”) fails to take into account that marriage is a journey, not a destination. It’s a journey toward each other, toward God, toward growth, toward maturity, toward children, eventually, toward heaven.
Some of you expect to inherit heaven immediately by making a wise marital choice; the only way to get to heaven is to die, not to get married. Here on earth, we travel toward heaven, and I’ve found, as many have, that my preference is to travel with a lifelong companion.
Stop looking for (or asking your spouse to be) the destination; look for (or accept) a traveling partner. Can I grow with this person? Can I struggle with this person? Will this person hang in there with me? Will they fight the battles with me instead of against me?
Singles, you need to learn what most every married person already does: you won’t find any fantasy man or woman who actually exists, because just about every relational strength comes with a corresponding weakness—the patient man may be, at times, a little too passive. The fun woman may, at times, be a little too irresponsible. The pious man may, at times, seem to hold you back. The organized woman may feel controlling. These are the layers of relationship and they’re what makes growth possible.
That’s why singles must die to the fantasy of arriving in order to begin the journey of becoming. Until you desire the real more than the phantom, you’re not ready to be married. You will bury your partner with your expectations and then cover them with your disappointments.
Here’s the hope behind this view: by viewing your spouse as a traveling companion, you continue to focus on and to pursue a fulfilling life, and a fulfilling life is the surest avenue to a fulfilling marriage. Nobody thinks Kevin Love is a perfect basketball player, but he helped LeBron James and Kyrie Irving win an NBA championship. You don’t have to have a perfect spouse to win a marital “championship.” You just need someone who’s willing to be your teammate in an important pursuit (and those who follow this blog or my books know I’m talking about Matthew 6:33). http://www.garythomas.com/got-mission/
When you finally start walking with a real spouse, enduring real disappointments, talking through real misunderstandings, you begin the journey toward real awakenings that lead to real understanding and real growth. Then, finally, you’ll see the brilliance of C.S. Lewis’ observation that though the fantasy is so much less “exquisitely adapted to all our wishes,” for that very reason “they are so incomparably better.”
Amy says
Really lovely post
Kylie says
Love this! I’m divorced and Know God has a husband for me….I just have to let Him do the choosing. Lol. I have no preconceptions that marriage is a partnership: God has healed many areas of my life, since I separated from my ex-husband, 10 years ago. I met the ‘real Jesus’ 4 years ago and am born again.
Love your blog Gary, because they show my character defects and Holy Spirit comes in and helps me heals them.
God Bless you. Kylie
Riis Christensen says
Gary, outstanding post. I am newly married a year ago. “The Sacred Search” really helped us through our courtship. This is 2nd round for us both. I LOVE to travel with my wife. She is one adventuresome gal. But the day-to-day stuff is often a grind, especially with both of us in our 50s when many attitudes, ways of doing things and behaviors are so engrained in us. What a great way to look at our marriage that you presented yesterday. Fortunately, Christ is our travel agent. Thanks for helping us to look at the daily stuff through a different lens and getting us to focus on the trip and not the destination! We’ll send you a post card, r
Gary Thomas says
Congratulations, and thanks for writing. As you describe things, I think “Sacred Marriage” is tailor made for your situation. If money is tight, email me through the website and we’ll send out a free copy to you.
Roxana says
Excellent post, congratulations, Gary.
Thank you for speaking truth to so many fantasy driven church people!
Joshua says
Wow very educative and practical, may the lord help us find the right people who will stand with us even in crisis times
Darlene Underwood says
You are a great thinker and your expresion of marriage and choosing a traveling partner is spot on!
your blog has rejuvenated my 20+ year marriage and ended several years of TOTAL misunderstandings
because of wrong expectations! ….jumping to conclusions, etc.
my husband and I are laughing again , daily. We are seeing each other in new light.
Thank you for your gift to us!
Gary Thomas says
What a wonderful thing to hear. Thank you so much.
GR8FUL WIFE says
You can never, ever be perfectly prepared for the reality of what is to come after the words “I do.” If I had the power to see the future, I would have been too scared and then I would be missing out on the gift that comes through sharing life with my biggest advocate. I know I drive my husband crazy, just like he does me at times. Life is really tough at times and we have polar opposite ways that we deal with it.
This post speaks to the married as much as the singles, reminding me of the end goal which is not a perfect marriage but the daily appreciation of the one I have chosen. The person I am becoming is much better than the person I was, before I said “I do.” At least I hope so. Sometimes I think I have allowed the tough years, the disappointments, broken promises, and worries for the future to harden my heart a little. But when I spend time in prayer and personal bible study, I am reminded how much God cares about us and He shows me ways He is guiding and providing for our family.
Thank you for always leading your readers to the Truth!
Gary Thomas says
I particularly love this: “the end goal which is not a perfect marriage but the daily appreciation of the one I have chosen. The person I am becoming is much better than the person I was, before I said “I do.”
Thanks for adding to this post; I hope the other readers take the time to read your comments.
Ruth Nzioka says
Lovely.God bless you Gary Thomas,you are my mentor in this school of love and most importantly from a christian perspective.
Gary Thomas says
Thank you Ruth. I pray that God will pour out His grace as you continue to seek His strength to love
Anonymous 2 says
That is inspiring. Anticipating a great journey with my beloved who finds me in the search. Thank you for sharing, Pastor Gary and Lisa.
Gary Thomas says
And I pray God will help you make a wise decision to find that beloved!
Nana says
That was well said…wow. it answered a dozen questions n rebuked me at the same time.
Thank you Garry.
Gary Thomas says
I felt the same way writing it!
Mara says
What an inspiring,truthful and sobering writting. Thanks Gary,there is such deep truth in it,it changes ones whole perspective on marriage. I hope many marriages will be blessed by it. God bless you and your ministry
Gary Thomas says
Thanks for the kind words Mara