God and Dating: Thoughts on Relationships. Smakprov

What God Thinks About How You Date

If there’s one thing God does care about when it comes to dating, it’s how you date. One of the reasons dating gets a bad rap in the faith community is because people don’t go into it with the care and consideration it deserves. While dating should be fun, it also isn’t something to take too lightly. When you get into a relationship with someone, you become involved in their life and play a part in their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It’s a big responsibility, and too often people aren’t ready to date well.

Knowing whether or not you’re dating well is pretty simple. It starts with considering the biblical principle to do to others what you’d want them to do to you. Whether you’ve just started messaging someone on a dating app or are invested in a more serious relationship, acting with that principle in mind will nearly always put you on a good path. For example,

• Before you “ghost” someone, consider whether you’d want someone to “ghost” you or simply let you know they’re no longer interested.
• Before you start talking to someone else while in a relationship, consider whether you’d want someone to be disloyal to you.
• Before you end a relationship over a text message, consider whether you’d want someone to do it in person or at least over the phone.

So, how do you know if you’re ready to date in a way that honors the other person and glorifies God? When you’re ready to be…

• Respectful—Be respectful of your date’s boundaries and needs and be loyal in the relationship.
• Communicative—Be willing to talk about hard things, share your feelings, and work through tough situations with the person.
• Yourself—Be genuine and authentic, and don't try to be someone you're not—let your personality shine through with confidence.
• Honest—Be open and honest about your faith, what you’re looking for in a relationship, when something is going well, or when you’re no longer interested in pursuing a relationship.
• Intentional—Be invested in the other person and intentional about how you date to ensure you’re dating in a way that honors the other person and glorifies God.

Always consider how you can be more loving, kind, patient, understanding, and considerate and do those things. It will make the dating experience more enjoyable for you and the people you date. Plus, it will honor God in the process, which is always a good thing.