Marriage is a huge commitment, and the right time to get married isn’t always obvious. Even if you are madly in love with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you may still have doubts about getting engaged and married. One way to figure out if you are ready is to ask yourself these questions, which are more or less premarital counseling questions.

Do you want to get married?

You’re ready for marriage if both of you can confidently say “I want to get married.” If you feel ready but your significant other isn’t sure, do not pressure them into marriage. They need to make the commitment out of their own volition. On the other hand, if you do not feel ready, do not let your age or the fear of being alone lead you into an unhappy marriage.

Do you realize what marriage entails?

Marriage is “for better or worse.” You should be ready to stick it out through the good times and bad times. Even if things get so bad that you want to leave, you’ll have to make the harder and more painful decision of staying.

What is God saying?

Many Christians expect God to give them a loud and clear “yes” or “no” regarding marriage or a potential marriage partner.  However, this isn’t always the case. God has given you the wisdom to choose the right spouse and to know when it’s time to get married. Find out what the bible says about marriage and follow God’s word.

Are your life goals compatible?

Being married to someone with different life goals is an uphill battle. For instance, if one of you wants children and the other does not, you probably should forget about getting engaged and married to each other. If you do get married, this issue will come back to haunt you later on.

Do you share the same religious beliefs?

Having the same faith is a strong foundation for marriage. Your faith and religious beliefs influence your values and thoughts on money, morality, lifestyle and parenting. Opposing beliefs can be a source of conflict in marriage. In addition, the bible warns against Christians getting engaged and married to non-Christians.