Over 110 million people in the US aren’t married.
Whether it’s swiping right on Tinder, eyeing the cute new coworker, or just waiting for the right person to walk by, so many people are trying to find their perfect match. The dating world is brutal and full of hills and valleys.
Everyone has a different approach to dating, dependent on their cultural, religious, and personal upbringing. As a Christian, it can seem difficult to date in the modern age. There are a handful of factors working against you.
Don’t worry! Keep reading below to discover the top 10 tips for Christian dating. We have you covered.
1. Be Casual
Before we all get rattled up, casual doesn’t have to mean having sex. It just means that it’s okay to relax and not be expecting a shining future with every person you go out to dinner with.
Whether you met the person through an online dating service or in church, it can be easy to feel the pressure of a Christian family. They say you need to find a kind spouse and hurry to get married and create a large family.
Relax, you have time.
While you’re out on the dating scene, taking time to pray and asking for God’s guidance is a much better route than rushing into something because you feel like you should.
2. Lean on Others
God gave us community and family within the body of Christ. While it may seem like you’re the only single one in the world, there are plenty of others looking for their match as well.
Get involved with small groups at your church or lean on other single individuals. You all can be a support for each other.
You can even make friends with the experienced couples at church. They will have plenty of insight and wisdom to offer.
3. Love God First
In Mark 12:30, the Bible says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
Before you commit to love a partner, turn to God and love Him. Learning to love and trust Him will grow you as an individual, and it will teach you how to selflessly and recklessly love someone else.
God is our biggest source of love, life, and strength. Turn to Him before anyone else.
4. Don’t Lose Sight of Your Calling
Dating is meant to be fun and exciting. It’s perfectly fine to go out and meet new people. However, it’s easy to get caught up in it all.
Taking care of yourself and keeping sight on your calling in God is important. God wonderfully and beautifully created you, and you shouldn’t let go of that in another person. It would be a shame!
Make sure to take time to have alone time in prayer and discussion with God. It doesn’t have to be ceremonial. Sometimes just sitting and talking to Him is the best way to go.
Constantly developing yourself in God will make you even stronger in a relationship with someone else.
5. Let God Surprise You
We are all guilty of having the perfect image of our future spouse in our head. Whether they are a doctor, missionary, aspiring entrepreneur, or whatever else, we all think we know what we need.
However, God is the only one to truly know what we need and who needs us. A lot of the time, He surprises us. Don’t be turned off to His surprises.
Did that person from small group ask you to grab a coffee, but you just aren’t sure? Give it a shot. You could be surprised who God brings into your life.
6. Know Your Boundaries
Even though you might be a Christian, you’re still most definitely human. Temptations are going to creep up, especially in the world of dating.
Between sexual temptations or having one too many glasses of wine over dinner, boundaries are going to come into play many times while you’re trying to find your forever person. It’s okay to talk about boundaries.
You don’t have to be rude or pushy while doing it. It can be as simple as saying to the other person, “Hey, this isn’t something I want to do right now.”
7. Keep Accountability
No one likes to hear when they are wrong, but sometimes we need it. As Christians, we need to keep each other accountable. It’s how we learn and improve.
When dating, date people who know their own boundaries and can address you appropriately when you start to go past yours. They aren’t being mean, they are helping you improve your character.
8. Pray Often
Like we’ve already said, people are human. They are going to disappoint you, make you angry, forget important dates, and everything else. Instead of harshly reacting, take a second to pray.
Ask God to show you how to handle certain situations before your emotions handle them for you. We all say things we shouldn’t, but praying first will help you in this.
Dating can be a trying time so take some time to speak to God about it all.
9. It May Not Work
Sometimes we find the perfect person. They are kind, caring, selfless, a leader in the church, easy on the eyes, and have the most wonderful family.
Sometimes it doesn’t work out with this perfect person, and then we grow angry at ourselves and God. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost all hope. It just means they weren’t the one.
Before you strike out in anger or depression, take some time to dig deep in God’s word. Draw close to Him. Give yourself time to heal.
10. Have Fun
So many times, the world thinks Christians can’t have fun and it’s all strict rules. This isn’t true. Go out and have fun on dates!
Go mini golfing, sailing, walking on the beach, or even jump into a fountain! God wants you to enjoy life. Go enjoy it.
Tips for Christian Dating
Dating is a difficult thing for anyone. If you’re a Christian and need a little extra help, check out the above top 10 tips for Christian dating. They can offer guidance and encouragement.
Lean on the Lord. Pray often. Have fun.
It’s going to be a wild ride, but you have the Word of God and other people to lean on. Always remember that you’re never alone in anything you experience.
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