Dating advice from a 70 year old is always interesting. She doesn't understand my apprehension to having a date with boy A on Tuesday and another with boy B on Friday. Cause my world told me that ain't okay! You're supposed to go in a certain order and no matter how casual y'all are it's not right to do that. Well she didn't grow up when I did and she still loves the Lord so is it possible to date like she did 50 years ago but in 2012 and still honor God and the men pursuing me? Apparently so.
Most of my dating was done in high school. The only reason I had a boyfriend in college was because we were still in a relationship that started in our senior year. I was used to being friends with a guy for a while and knowing him really well. Our friendship slowly led into dates which evolved into a relationship.
That high school relationship ended, obviously. Since then I have been interested in almost 4 guys that I've talked to for a bit, possibly gone on a first date with, and then it ended because of various reasons. No blood, no foul. Just keep goin don't get too serious. This is new to me. The entire time I'm very prayerful about it and mindful of guarding my heart so it's been relatively painless. But still it hasn't been easy.
I meet with a 70 year old woman once week who disciples me. Today I kind of poured out my heart in this area to her. I'm not used to the kind of dating I have been doing lately and it is really throwing me off. As I talk and she politely listens I realize (Well, first, WHY she's listening. Cause she was letting me spell it out for myself.) it's a pride and fear issue. Like always. (I'm almost certain most struggles people have is rooted from pride.) I'm scared to date again, period. I'm scared to date someone casually. To slowly get to know someone, while acknowledging I like them, hoping we eventually date, but reserving the rights to its end to the Lord. It is far less painful than the long term serious relationships I was in throughout HS and college so far. It is definitely more open to God's will. It makes much more sense all around. It just causes me to be uncomfortable and patient. And then - bam - I said it. I identified the sin that was the root of the anxiety and the emotion that it makes me feel. [[Satan, you just lost one.]]
"Uncomfortable."
I learned a long time ago how very well discomfort can bring you closer to God. Admitting helplessness and putting your concerns in His hands takes a lot of Christ like qualities... I just ain't sure I got that quite yet to be honest! But God doesn't care. I'm abiding in him and in the mean time he's pruning me.
"When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it solves a great deal of anxiety." - AW Tozer
"Waiting itself, if practiced according to Biblical patterns, seems to be a strange but dynamic kind of communication between man and God." - Catherine Marshall
"It is God's oft-repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us." - Catherine Marshall.
In Your faith I thank You right now for a more glorious answer to my prayer than I can imagine,
Angela
