A page from my journal

Am I ready to date?
How do I know?
I've been asked this question more than a few times and here is one version of my answer:

My worldview translates that questions into: Are you ready for a relationship with someone that you hope will lead to marriage?
My question to you is: Are you at a place in your life where you need to be investing in a human relationship?

Love is hard.  Love is a choice.

Are you prepared to love?  Love that suffers, patiently enduring under provocation (1 Cor. 13:4), not seeking your own benefit (1 Cor. 13:5), to forgive any wrong (1 Cor. 13:5);  are you prepared to love in such a way that covers all things, in a way that endures all things (1 Cor. 13:7)?

Did you think about your love needing to "endure"? Not the "romantic" endurance of time, but the endurance of life: pressure, pain, persecution or ill-treatment (which is what that word actually means). Or do you focus on the enjoyment you hope it will bring to you?

I say look to your spiritual maturity before you look to marriage! For He is love, and you cannot know love if you do not know Him.

Look to your life-do you see God's love being displayed through you?

Are you ready for a relationship with someone that you hope will lead to marriage?

You can only answer that after honest evaluation of your personal walk with the Lord and how you see that actively being displayed in your life specifically as an outpouring of God's love toward others.

So, my question to you is: Are you at a place in your life where you need to be investing in a human relationship?


Note: As with most life, you can prepare only so far without being within your role.  But I believe we are called to preparedness; also, I do not encourage deepening your walk with Christ for the sole purpose that He will then provide you with spouse.