Dating With Discernment
By Kia G.
The phenomenon of dating is not something new. It actually has been around since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve, the first couple, luckily did not have to endure dating, as it is today. Eve didn’t have to serial date, she was made from the man God purposed for her. God, why can’t you do that for all of us, is what I am loudly questioning.
The first step in spending life with the one you are destined to, is meeting them. How do you do that? Is it coincidence or is it through the blind set up? Can it be through social media and online dating too? The stories are numerous and some are quite laughable, but they all end with a decision being made. Either you stay or you run, I mean go!
I am in this season, which I am embracing, but I have realized there is something more I need…discernment. Luckily, for me I have had a proven track record with discernment; but on the flip side, my kindness can get in the way. Hurt feelings are not what I strive to hand out, but I do have to protect my own. Saying no shouldn’t be seen as negative. It actually is life saving…saving you from a lifetime of regret.
"Saying no shouldn't be seen as negative"
Dating with discernment simply means paying close attention to the individual you are getting to know, or should I say interviewing. Yes, someone just recently made me see, it’s exactly what it should be. Going through their resume, called life, determining if they are better suited for the coveted position in your life, than the applicant before. Giving the wrong person the position prevents the one purposed for it from getting it. They will then seek a position elsewhere. A place that will be overly appreciative you didn’t see their worth.
"...paying close attention to the individual you are getting to know, or should I say interviewing."
The one your soul longs for may have been the one you let go because you were blinded by the red flag that is sparkled and jeweled. The flags or the that gut feeling is what shouldn’t be ignored. It is actually the discernment you are searching for. We ask for it, but don’t want to trust it, especially when it’s telling you what you want is not what you need.
Dating with discernment can be a long process. It won’t be an easy one, especially for the one who is weak in the area of patience. This is an area you will have to strengthen if you want to survive through making the right choice. There are questions you will have to ask and behaviors you must witness. Do you know what your non-negotiable’s are? Do you have them, but don’t stick to them? All things that will determine how successful your dating life will be. Once you get past the looks, the clothes, and what possessions they have are you left with the person meant to take your hand?
If you are dating, I encourage you all to do it with the discernment guide. This advice is for the single and seeking their soulmate, not those who are already chosen seeking an entanglement. It may take some time, but sure worth the wait. You see dating with discernment is ensuring you don’t get in the way of what God has destined for you.