In case you hadn’t realized, Valentine’s Day is almost a week away. And in case you also hadn’t realized, this special holiday is often called “Singles’ Awareness Day.” Honestly, that name seems pretty silly because most singles who describe Valentine’s Day as “Singles’ Awareness Day” are actually aware of their singleness for 365 days of the year.
Sure, I’ll admit that I’m aware of my singleness most of the time. I’m not married, dating, or even considering starting a romantic relationship. To be honest, even if a great guy was interested in me, I wouldn’t be ready to start dating. I’m simply not at that place yet.
Forcing a Fit
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about being ready for what God calls us to do and being willing to say “yes” to His plan. While I truly believe that there are some seasons of life when we simply need to rip off the painful Band-Aids and dive in, I also believe that romantic relationships are the exception to this rule.
It’s wonderful to be ready to do God’s work—like accept a new job that you believe He wants you to take or join a ministry that you believe He wants you to serve in. However, it’s unwise to jump into a romantic relationship that isn’t part of His plan—like forcing a relationship that simply isn’t meant to be.
The potential red flags that you can encounter as you date are endless. Maybe the guy you like isn’t a Christian, he’s addicted to porn, he isn’t a regular church attender, or he doesn’t have a steady job (and has never even tried to find one). Those are just a few examples.
Sure, we all carry a little baggage into romantic relationships. We’ll never be fully free from sin—regardless of relationship status. But we can’t carry heavy or complex issues into a romantic relationship and expect our significant others to simply carry us through those issues.
When It’s Best to Wait
There are a few main reasons why you may not be ready to start a relationship, including the following:
- You have no idea where God is leading you in life or the guy you want to date has no idea where God is leading him in life.
- You’re dealing with an issue that you need to work through with the Lord or the guy you want to date is dealing with an issue that he needs to work through with the Lord.
- You need time to grow in your faith or the guy you want to date needs time to grow in his faith.
- You’re not at a “settled” place in life or the guy you want to date isn’t at a “settled” place in life.
Of course, all of this is easy for me to say because there haven’t been any guys in my life who have expressed interest in dating me. But these principles still apply now and will apply in the future! Sometimes, we simply need to wait to date.
A Season to Wait
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV)
Some relationships are never meant to be—but that’s okay because one is. The right time and the right guy will come along. Rely on the Lord because He knows the best time and the best person for the romantic relationship that you desire to have.
Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!
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