How Should a Christian Date? A 5-Day Devotional by Eric DemeterPrøve

Day 2: Why Is Christian Dating So Weird? My unmarried roommate Charlie was approaching his late thirties when a lady invited him to join her at a wedding reception. I thought it was too intense for a first date but fair enough. Charlie accepted and had a good time. The day after their wedding date—I mean, date-at-a-wedding—the woman appeared on our front porch with a wrapped present for Charlie. Isn’t that sweet? He opened it to find a framed picture of them at the wedding. Awkward! How could dating not be awkward for Christians and non-Christians alike? If you’re serious about getting married, the person you’re drinking organic coffee with is not just a regular guy or gal. If things go well, your date might become your husband or wife for fifty-plus years, your sexual partner, and the one who’ll be taking care of you when you’re old and sporting a scooter. But some followers of Jesus can elevate the natural awkwardness of dating to a new level and make it weird. Have you heard a Christian say, “God told me we were going to get married,” “I had a dream about you?” or “God told me to break up with you?” Although spiritual assertions like these might be sincere, they are not helpful in dating. The best dating is fueled by the courage to say what is ultimately true and just without deliberately sidestepping the clear conversations that put your heart at risk. Resolve to use lucid language, put away pleasing people, and serve an audience of One. You can express yourself honestly while dating because you trust God with the outcome. Reflect Why doesn’t clear communication in romance happen easily? Prayer Lord, give me the courage to use clear, kind, and sincere language in my dating life. Help me to know that I can trust you with the outcome of whatever needs to be said. By your grace, I’ll laugh at the natural awkwardness of dating and trust that you’ll use all my relationship mistakes for Your glory. Verse Matthew 5:37 “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.