How to Find Your Soulmate

No matter your faith, you've heard of soul mates. You might have wondered how to find your soul mate, or questioned if you were truly equally yoked with only one person in the entire world. According to the US divorce rates, you just might be meant for only one other person. The divorce rate in the United States fluctuates between 40-50%, your soul mate could be divorcing someone else as you read this.

You have a better shot at finding your soul mate the first marriage-go-round, according to statistics, which cite first marriage divorce rates at 50%, second marriage divorce rates at 67%, and third at 74%. To save yourself a broken heart and lawyer's fees, you might carefully reconsider what you think a soul mate really is.

The dictionary defines a soul mate as: A person who is perfectly suited to another in temperament person who strongly resembles another in attitudes or beliefs soul mates. Though the Bible never defines a soul mate, it provides three relationships between beings that are soul mates, according to the definition above. They are as follows:

God's relationship with humans. God created humans in his image. Most believers think that he's always there, bringing about the best for them, and that they will return to him one day.

Jesus' relationship with humans. Jesus is a Christian's soul mate because they take to heart his teachings. Christians believe that, in the end, they will be reunited with Jesus.

Humans' relationship with humans. In studying Adam and Eve metaphorically, Adam could represent all men and Eve all women. God instructs humankind, each one male and female, to love each other as they love themselves. God used the term "help mate" for Adam-not a soul mate-when he conjured Eve. This might mean that God directed men and woman to assist each other, utilizing their engendered strengths.

If you take the details of Genesis literally, then God, out of the necessity to propagate the species, placed Adam and Eve into an arranged marriage. That's hardly the romantic connotations dreamed up by most who contemplate "soul mates."

By understanding the dynamics of the three relationships above, it becomes clear what God's plan is for love and relationships. He expects us to love each other as we love ourselves, care for each other the way Jesus teaches, and to respect ourselves as we respect God. By accomplishing those things, we can open ourselves to a new realm of thinking that could result in finding our "help-mate.

I didn't say finding our "soul mate" because, upon studying marriage in the Bible, we learn that some people choose or are made to be celibate, such as eunuchs or monks. If some choose to remain unmarried or celibate, then everyone cannot have a soul mate. Paul elaborates that it is, in fact, better not to marry, because dating and marriage cause drama and struggles.

The bad news is that God never promised anyone a soul mate, so you won't find your soul mate. The good news is this clarification frees you to find a proper "help mate," if you so choose. God is faithful to guide anyone to find a suitable mate-if you're willing to submit to His will, and follow His instruction.

Sources:

The Holy Bible, NIV

Divorce Rate, divorcerate.org

Soul Mate, Merriam Webster's Dictionary