10 Thoughts on Relationships, Dating and Marriage

Naty and I sat and talked tonight for several hours.  About God and loving Him.  About right and wrong.  About what God wants for our lives.  About having strength and courage to do the right thing.Mostly we talked about relationships–and the challenges she and her friends have to do relationships well, to think rightly about dating and marriage.A few of our thoughts, plus a few more of mine, and certainly not exhaustive:1.  The purpose of life is not marriage.  Sure, marriage is normal and usual, and a gift from God.  But the purpose of life is to know, love, seek and serve the God who created us.2.  The priority of life is God and to become the person He created you to be and to do what He created you to do.  Discover your gifts—and grow and develop them.3.  Live in the present.  Where does God have you right now?  Yes, plan for the future, but live in the now.4.  Focus on being the right person, not on finding the right person.5.  It’s best to marry your best friend—so work on growing as friends.6.  Seek to know someone in many different circumstances, with different people.  Do you like what you see?7.  When it needs to end, be kind, but have courage to stand.  When it does end, do not think you have to own the pain of the other person as your fault, unless of course it clearly is.  Believe that God will bring good even from their pain—and your pain.8.  Stay out of bed.  Keep your pants on.9.  Be kind and respectful and thoughtful in your words and actions.  Give lots of grace.  Look for ways to encourage and lift each other; never put each other down.  Forgive freely.10.  Live out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 in all your relationships:  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.What about you?  What would you add?C2012 Judy DouglassRelated articles:3 Realities that Have Helped Us Have a Great Marriage (1)-Compatible3 Realities that Have Helped Us Have a Great Marriage (2)–Complementary3 Realities that Have Helped Us Have a Great Marriage (3)–Complimentary