God and Dating: Thoughts on Relationships. Prøve

## What God Thinks About Why You Date [IMAGE CONTENT] In the beginning, God…was thinking about marriage. He created a man and instantly realized the man needed a woman by his side. God designed people to be in marriage relationships with one another—to get married, make babies, and tell the world about Jesus. Of course, finding that person you want to “be fruitful and multiply” with is easier said than done. Dating is good—finding someone you want to marry and serve God with is amazing. But it is important to make sure your heart is in the right place before you seek that person. While it may be God’s plan for you to get married, He cares more about your heart than anything else. Unfortunately, people date for somany not-so-good reasons: * Because they’re lonely * To get over a heartbreak * To boost their self-esteem * Because all their friends are doing it * Because they’re bored * To get revenge on someone * Because their family is pressuring them to find someone None of those are good reasons to start dating. And if you’re seeking a relationship due to one (or all) of those reasons, there’s a good chance that God would say your heart isn’t in the right place. Fortunately, people also date for somany good reasons: * Because they’ve healed from a past relationship or trauma * Because they’re ready to care for someone’s needs above their own * To experience and enjoy life alongside someone * To date for marriage * Because they have peace about starting a relationship * Because they’ve done work in themselves to be emotionally available While God designed relationships and blesses marriages, it isn’t something to rush into until you’re ready. Thoughtfully consider why you’re dating and what you’re seeking to get from the experience. Then, prayerfully ask God to give you wisdom and guidance about where you date, who you date, how you date, and what you do on dates to ensure you’re ready to date for the right reasons in a way that honors and glorifies God. This devotional was supplied by Upward. The No. 1 dating app for Christian singles in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021 Connect with Christian singles searching for meaningful relationships. To download Upward, click [ here ](https://dateupward.me/bagt) . [IMAGE CONTENT]