1 post tagged “jzone”

AVOID THE HEARTBREAK OF EMOTIONAL PROMISCUITY

-Whitney Hopler-

“If you guard your heart and pursue purity in every part of your life—not just physically—you will experience the blessing of God’s best for your relationships.”

1. Recognize the POWER of EMOTIONS

Know that the DEEPEST emotions are much too valuable to share with someone who is not yet committed to you, as a fiancé or spouse would be. There is NO such thing as ‘casual dating’ because any romantic interaction stirs up powerful emotions.

2. Realize emotions CAN’T BE TRUSTED

Know that emotions aren’t stable enough to build a relationship on; they CONSTANTLY change with your circumstances, and they can DECEIVE you. Don’t let yourself become so distracted by your emotions that you CAN’T THINK through your relationship or DISCERN God’s guidance concerning them.

3. Know that there is a LOT MORE TO RELATIONSHIPS than romance

Ask God to purify you MOTIVES when interacting with members of the opposite gender. Try to love everyone with brotherly or sisterly love.

4. Pursue PURITY in every part of your life

Rather than trying to push the limits of purity by seeing how close you can get to the LINE OF SIN, decide to see how CLOSE you can get to God. Make it a habit to read, study and meditate on God’s word often. Embrace biblical truth because it will strengthen and protect your heart.

5. Live by FAITH instead of feelings

Understand that a variety of circumstances can trigger a variety of feelings at any given time, but those feelings will be INCONSISTENT and not reliably reflect reality. Decide to live according to what is TRUE—biblical principles—instead of just according to how you happen to feel.

6. Manage your emotions so THEY DON’T MANAGE YOU

Whoever controls your emotions controls you. Lock your emotions away from people who aren’t worthy of receiving them, so they won’t be mishandled and cause you pain. Keep you emotions secure until the RIGHT PERSON comes along. Then you can unleash them with joy in a passionate, committed relationship, as God intends.

7. Protect the WHOLE you

Recognize that your spiritual, physical and emotional components are connected in many ways. Guard yourself in all three areas. Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.

8. Instead of just waiting to meet the right person, BECOME THE RIGHT PERSON for you future spouse

Don’t waste your time wondering when the romantic partner of your dreams will enter your life. Decide to LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH FULLY while you wait, trust in God’s promises, and embrace opportunities to GROW into the type of person God wants you to become before He brings your future spouse to you. Understand that marriage doesn’t involve two people hoping to complete each other; it involves TWO WHOLE PEOPLE WHO LOOK TO GOD TO COMPLETE THEM.

9. Set BOUNDARIES

Set boundaries to GUARD your heart before you’re in a situation where you need to put boundaries into practice. Boundaries aren’t meant to prevent you from having fun; they enable you to LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST by living at the center of God’s will.

10. Wait for GOD’S BEST (GB)

Waiting for the right person and the right time to get married is worthwhile. Embrace this season and make of the freedoms you have as a single person. Don’t rush into any relationships; pray THOROUGHLY about them.

11. Be CAREFUL on the Internet

The internet’s anonymity makes it an especially dangerous place to engage in relationships. Set limits on how frequently you email members of the opposite gender who aren’t family members. Make sure you’re always spending MORE TIME WITH GOD THAN YOU ARE ONLINE.

12. Escape emotional ENTANGLEMENTS

Realize that true fulfillment is FOUND ONLY IN GOD and not in the things of the world. Live with integrity, without pretending to be SOMEONE YOU’RE NOT to try to IMPRESS a potential romantic partner. DON’T BE AFRAID to end an emotionally impure relationships (ones that isolate you from God, your friends, or your family or ones in which you cross boundary lines or compromise your convictions). Accept God’s forgiveness for your mistakes, and embrace the grace He offers you to HEAL.

13. Embrace your FIRST LOVE

Remember that no one can ever love you more than Jesus, your FIRST LOVE. Passionately pursue intimacy with Him while you wait for your GB. Decide to put at least as much time and energy into your relationship with Jesus as you would into a romantic relationship. Give your heart completely to Jesus to discover the GREATEST LOVE OF ALL.

14. Live with NO REGRETS

Be WILLING to GET RID of anything that is interfering with your pursuit of purity, NO MATTER WHAT IT COSTS YOU to do so. Don’t pursue any romantic relationship until: YOU’RE SPENDING TIME WITH GOD on a daily basis, you have a list of what you are looking for in a life partner, you have a list of things you will and won’t do in a relationship, and you have CLEARANCE FROM GOD and the AUTHORITIES (parents) He has put in your life to proceed with a romantic relationship.