To most people around the world, marriage is something one looks forward to. The thought of life-time romance excites us, and it should. Marriage is a gift from God given freely to us not because we deserve it but simply because He is gracious. We can do nothing to earn the gift that is marriage.

Yet as much as marriage is an unmerited favour, it's not something that is to be taken lightly. While you may desire marriage terribly today, we must also take into consideration whether we're ready for it or not. And if we're not yet ready, we must learn not to rush into marriage without first prioritising other aspects within us.

How do we know when we are not yet ready to commit to a lifetime of staying faithful and enjoying the company of one person for the rest of our life? Here are five signs to watch out for.

1. You Do Not Appreciate a Reliance Towards God

We may actually all fall short in the area of trusting and relying on God at some point or another. As sinful and broken people, we divert our trust to other things. But until we get a full understanding and appreciation for what it means to trust God, we aren't ready to trust someone else yet.

2. You Haven't Counted the Cost

Jesus once said in Luke 14:28, "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" Marriage calls for sacrifice and we are to consider the cost just as much as the benefits.

3. You Haven't Yet Taken Responsibility for Yourself

We can often think that as long as we're "grown up," we're ready for marriage. But being grown up has very little to do with age. It has more to do with your ability to take care of yourself and consequently take care of others financially, emotionally, and even spiritually.

4. You Look to a Relationship for Affirmation and Meaning

As wonderful as a marriage can be, it's a terrible idol to worship. If we put too much of our meaning on a relationship, it can work against us. Our affirmation and meaning can only truly come from Christ even when you're married already.

5. You're Calling Isn't Clear Yet

We all are called by God to something that only we can do. If we jump into a relationship without that being clear, we'll only end up dragging another human being into our lost state. We owe it to ourselves and to our future spouse to find ourselves before we find the one.