Not dating

Not dating

Bible:1 Corinthians 12:25-13:13

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[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (V.7).

In one survey, nearly 40% of young single people said they felt isolated or cut off in their churches. It was summed up by this sentence: “Single people feel invisible and think about leaving.” That doesn’t surprise me. As a single person, I’ve felt lonely in churches filled with couples or small friendship groups who just hang out together. I’ve also experienced awkward silences when I say I’m not dating or looking for a boyfriend right now. It can be easy for all of us to think romantic relationships are what we’re meant to do, even in the church. But with that point of view, single people may find they are not invested in by their church very much. In the Bible, Paul described church as one body meant to share joy and suffering together (1 CORINTHIANS 12:25-26). Each person is needed for the good of everyone else, regardless of our relationship status (VV.7,21-22). When Paul described the “most excellent way” (V.31), he didn’t talk about dating or marriage, but the love we are all meant to live out (VV.12-13); a love that “never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance” (13:7 NLT). This love is about more than finding someone to date. It is about something much bigger than ourselves (12:4-6): it’s about being saved by Jesus and living for God together as a church family! Our life with God may involve different romances, or it may not. The main thing is that we, and our church, stick close to Him.

LOVING OUR CHURCH FAMILY IS THE
“MOST EXCELLENT WAY”.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries