Is Purity Really That BIG of a Deal?

     Too often these days we see teenagers updating their Facebook relationship status way too frequently.  One week they're with Stephen and the next they're with Janet, but you always hear the same thing about both of those relationships.  "Oh I love him so much!" or "I don't know what I would do without her."  How is it that this new relationship feels the same to you as the old one?  Well, it's simple.  You're searching for people who can satisfy you.  In the end, you're getting what you want (security, love, adoration, ect) from this person and then moving on to the next.  Now there are a couple things wrong with that.

     #1) God has only one person out there for us.

     There are millions and billions of people on this planet; many of whom you will never meet.  But somewhere, in those millions and billions of people, is a person who you are destined to meet.  That is someone we like to call "The One."  This person is someone God has predestined for us.  They are our other half, missing puzzle piece, and significant other.  The incredible thing is God designed them to match us perfectly before we were ever born!  Now, how does that make you feel?  Kind of like there is a God who has a perfect plan for you?  Exactly.

          Now I know what you're thinking.  How am I going to find "The One" if I'm not at least taking the risk of dating someone to see?  Understood.  Many strong Christians I know dated a few times before they found "The One" and many times it was a sibling of an Ex or even a childhood best friend.  You never know!  But there is a difference, still.  These Christian friends I know prayed for God's guidance in the relationship and didn't pursue deeply until they felt His leading.  Flippant dating is where you just have a crush on someone and date them just because you're cute, they're cute, so let's be cute together!  You just become gf/bf and all of a sudden you are all over each other, trying to get every fulfillment out of this as you can.  Seeing the difference?  So dating around is perfectly okay, when you're doing it the right way.

     #2) There is only one place to find TRUE fulfillment.

     How do you know you are spiritually and emotionally ready to look for "The One?"  God has created us with a yearning to search for fulfillment and a complete satisfaction, but there is only one place we can have that and it's not with earthly, also imperfect and searching people.  He wants us to come to the point where we realize that it's Him we need.  Once we come to that realization, our mindset is focused towards the right way of gong about dating.  However, without that right focus we will be searching for people to give us satisfaction.  That is one of the steps towards flippant dating.

     #3) You could go too far and leave scars.

     Whether you believe it or not you can, and WILL, get attached to this gf/bf.  It's called an emotional attachment.  Emotional WHAT?  Emotional purity has to do with, you guessed it, emotions.  When you get emotionally attached you then desire a physical attachment.  It's only natural.  However, if you're not careful, you could get too carried away and that is how many relationships crumble.  You go too far too fast.  Don't deny it; it's how God made us!  But you can save yourself a lot of scars and pain by guarding your heart.  Yes, you can be friends, but be careful how fast and how close you get.

     Wow, now I feel like I was beat into the ground!  When the Holy Spirit brings a conviction about something, you normally feel like that.  Trust me, I felt the same way.  But I recognized these things and embraced them a truth!  When you do the same, you won't be flippantly dating and will be saving yourself for The One God has for you.  It's hard, but the ending result is worth the effort and waiting.  Trust me, they're out there. :)

"No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."

- Psalm 84:11