Being single doesnt mean you go through life alone. You do have friends because you go and make them. Married people actually find it harder to make friends, and when their spouse is away or passes away, it can be even more difficult for them. There is great reward in children, but many people seem to forget that children grow up and do leave, they dont stay children forever.
While spouses have each other, there are many who do not take the time to invest in other people so that they can have a support system other than their families. This puts an undue stress on the children who end up filling their parents social needs, but (due to the this arrangement) are unable to fill their own.
You go through life with God, which is more useful than going through life with a human, but you don't get to experience the closest human relationship between genetically unrelated people that God has ever made.
Granted, I know of people who have 5 or more children and they have made the time to have social lives with people outside of their families. So it is quite possible, and, as you implied, useful.
I also know of a woman who, when her husband died, had a great network of friends, and while she cared for them deeply, there was nothing like having her husband there. Her father in law and her best friend helped her through it (especially her best friend) and they are both gone too. She still has plenty of friends, don't get me wrong, but she had moment of sadness because of losing first her husband. she had the best friend in the world and an awesome group of in-laws and church family to help out; but it still hurt. Now she (occasionally) gets sad from so many people who were close to her passing on. But still; noting hit her like that first loss.
Now I am not saying that losing a close friend is as traumatic as losing a spouse (I wouldn't have place for comparison), but to imply that all widows are sad lonely women who had no friends because they were married is akin to a misnomer.
Marriage these days is difficult because of all the pressures, raising children is not easy but if you do it you must be dedicated dont go into by halves, because children are really affected badly if they are not raised in a loving home or split between two, or three. You must count the cost, and it will cost you...your heart will be broken many times as children dont always listen to their parents!!
Psalm 127:3 Lo, children
are an heritage of the LORD:
and the fruit of the womb
is his reward.
Granted, the best place to raise children is in a stable two parent home (God's created order), but that doesn't mean that God can't turn that negative situation into a positive ("I went through this, so I will not allow my children to experience it, I will make an organization to help with the issues that I grew up with, etc...)
Hearts are broken in single life as well, granted, you don't have to go home to it, but still, when you go home as a single person, with no "resident human" to talk to (If you are living alone).
Also, we don't always listen to God, so maybe we can see how he feels and be inspired to clean up our act.
Only if you actually met someone worthy, if not, it is not worth it, because having more children or marrying earlier is neither here nor there. 22 is young to have children but if you have children earlier well you cant really as you are still in school. You end up living vicariously through your children and when they leave home you still alone until you look after your grandchildren.
For some people what may be neither here nor their to you, is important to them. Granted, these people are content with what they have, as you are content with being single and, to my understanding, possibly childless?
Why do you keep implying that married people are destined to be lonely and lead unfulfilling lives (especially the women)? Friendships break up, even close ones, not unless you believe that we should not have deep friendships so that losing friendships does not hurt. I know several mothers who have hobbies and careers, but I also know several stay at home moms who minister in other ways.
I know christian families who have the tradtional 12 or more children lol. It only works if you have a huge farm, dont mind the isolation, can homeschool, and your husband exhausts himself with work. And you wont ever have holidays. And then you need to teach your children how to farm and hand it down to them, otherwise you going to lose your land with nobody looking after it.
Cool, a "quiver full" family.
What happens when your husband doesn't exhaust himself with work? Farmers usually have more energy and strength than the average person. Out of 12 kids, at least one will be a farmer. I have an associate who was raised as a farmer, and out of the three kids, his brother still owns cattle and out of his grand parents kids (I think there was three of them too) his father still grows hay and sells it (while having a regular day job)
If you are single, you either live with your family..mum, dad, or extended family, or you go flatting with others or board. Very few singles can actually afford to live alone, but if thats what you want to do then do it where you have a community. Many do have pets because the pets dont leave home unlike a spouse..,you cant expect a spouse to stay home ALL the time. I know women who go crazy if they or forced into a situation where they are expected to stay home all the time.
I live alone, and it's funny because I feel less lonely in my apartment than living with my family. I feel like your living situations should be based on whether or not you feel you have peace.
Why would a spouse need to stay home all of the time? Why should a wife stay home all of the time?
People seem to have this idea that singles just live in a room all by themselves and dont have anyone to talk to, or they dont have meaningful work to do...lol. I repeat, single does not mean alone, its just you arent bound!
Agreed, you are held accountable for how you live with your spouse and children. Singles, while they are free to serve the Lord, are often bound by other things. Some are bound by their sexual desires, others are bound by their unrequited desire for a companion.
Proverbs 13:12
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Like BAC said no one can know you like your spouse. You become one flesh with a person unlike you can with any friendship you could possibly have (assuming that there is not fornication in the life of the potential readers other than yourself, which is another discussion altogether). And while it looks like bondage to you (and Paul if I understand correctly) it is having the best teammate imaginable or others.
