BCL Devotional: Do You Have a Soul Mate? — Genesis 29:18-20

June 29, 2026/Le Ann Trees/
Photo Credit: Maile Marie Photography

Photo Credit: Maile Marie Photography

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Editor’s Note: We are pleased to reintroduce our former BCL Grow devotional series under the new name BCL Devotional. Each devotional includes a Bible passage, an encouraging quotation, and three practical steps to help believers reflect on, remember, and rejoice in God’s love in Christ.

Bible Passage

Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. (Genesis 29:18–20)

Quote

The Soulmate Myth has become so engrained in our thinking that we hardly notice it anymore. When a new relationship is going well, we tell our friends, “I think she may be the one!” Wedding toasts invariably describe the couple as “meant to be.” The Soulmate Myth takes root well before we enter the dating pool and can persist long after we’ve settled down. (David Zahl, Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It, p. 27)

Steps to Take

Reflect: People can have a lot of idealistic thoughts about marriage. They may envision themselves marrying the person of their dreams and spending a lifetime of wedded bliss together. What does the Bible teach about soul mates?

Remember: Many people think that there is one person in the world with whom they are meant to be, and they must do everything they can to find that person. This kind of thinking can make people hesitant to commit to marriage because they fear they might be marrying the wrong person. While there are Bible verses that describe romantic love (see the story of Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29 and the Song of Solomon), the Bible never corroborates the idea that there is one specific individual in the universe who is your perfect match. Holding on too much to this romantic idea can keep you from building a wonderful life with a worthy person you enjoy and love.

Rejoice: Marriage is a gift from God, but it also requires a vast amount of commitment and sacrifice. As Zahl writes,

To be sure, even the most well-matched partner will let us down, and we them. Another person cannot give us what we need, and much of our dissatisfaction stems from the fact that we continue to believe that they can and should. (Seculosity, p. 40)

Don’t be tempted to rush into marrying someone because you think you have found your soul mate. Your end goal is not to find happiness on this earth but rather to bring glory to God in all (Rom. 11:36). Pray to the Lord and lean on him (1 Pet. 5:7). God knows what he is doing, so you don’t have to be anxious about the future when it comes to finding a spouse (Ps. 28:7). True love is not about finding “the one” but is instead about loving the one God has given us with vulnerability, acceptance, and self-sacrifice.

This devotional is adapted from “6 Things to Do If You Want to Be Married—and Aren’t Yet.”

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