Dating relationships are exciting! There is no question that it is the most talked about, thought about, and desired status for young people. Have you ever considered why every show/movie that has successfully reached young people is focused around a developing relationship? I have been married for almost 10 years and I still love pillow talk. I still enjoy watching relationships form and develop. The reality is, we are hooked on romantic relationships. People who are considered unromantic still seek it. People who don’t know the first thing about romance, still desire it for themselves. We love the idea of having a close, trustworthy companion who understands and values us. But have we ever considered the value of honoring God through our dating relationships? Have we ever considered how important it is to have standards around dating? Many of us leap at every attraction to every person when we are single. We are okay with jumping in to a relationship before ever knowing someone. We also struggle to set boundaries and maintain healthy habits that will build and strengthen the relationship. All in the name of engaging in an emotional/physical attraction to another person, we throw standards, healthy practice, and intentional effort out the window. Often leaving us in a place where we go through hard experiences, give in to negative influence, and find ourselves heartbroken. Dating can be a ton of fun and help you mature; it can also be painful and set you up for failure.
