One time, some friends came up to me and offered to find me a boyfriend. They told me I was “pretty enough to have a boyfriend.” I remember saying, no thank you. I’m not ready to date yet. It’s been two years, and I’m still not ready to date.
Before I go any farther, I want you to know that I don’t think dating is wrong, and I don’t think that high school dating is wrong. I do think that some of us, especially in high school, have been called to wait to date. So if you’re dating, I’m not trying to tell you you’re wrong. But please, go ahead and read this anyway. I want to share my struggles with being single in a relationship centered world, in hopes that I can pour some strength into others struggling with the same thing as the Lord pours strength into me.
I’m sure we’ve all seen the classic Disney princess movies. In fact, I just finished The Little Mermaid. The idea of a dashing prince coming to whisk us away from our seemingly boring world, taking us away and making us part of their world is a fascinating idea. Why is it that the whole world wants us to kiss the girl when some of us have been called to stay under the sea, at least for now? Unfortunately, our lives are not Disney Princess movies. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to dance out of my castle singing musical songs and having a flash mob follow me around. I don’t think that’s how it works, though. We can’t just “get the prince” like that. Unlike the princesses, we have to wait for our princes sometimes.
For some reason, this world gives us the idea that if we’re not in a relationship then we’re not valued. What if I told you that that is completely false? What if I told you that we are more valued than we will will ever know, by a Creator that formed the stars, can count all the sand on the seashore, and still knows our names? That this Creator is a King, who calls us all His children, making us princesses? Newsflash: it’s true. Because we’re princesses, that means that our Father has a prince waiting for us. We just haven’t found him yet. Just because we haven’t found our prince yet, doesn’t mean that we have to stay locked up in our towers waiting for our lives to begin. But, as I’m sure we all well know, waiting for our Prince Charming is hard.
If you’ve been called to wait to date, there is a reason. I don’t know mine, and you might not know yours. But I think that while we’re waiting, we shouldn’t focus on the fact that we don’t have a romantic relationship. Use this time to focus on your relationship with your Father, the King. One of my favorite quotes says something along these lines: “I want a man who’s so in love with God, that the only reason he notices me is God says: “Look, that’s her.”” Wow. Talk about goals. Work on getting closer to God, and God will bring you your prince. Also use this time to grow your friendships. Here’s a little tip my mom told me, you can learn just as much about what you like and don’t like in a boy by being friends with them. Two of my best friends are boys, and I have learned so much about what I want and don’t want in a husband just by being friends with them. Focus on God, focus on your family, focus on your hobbies, focus on your friendships.
Waiting can be so hard. Believe me, I know. Have I liked boys? Yes. Will I again? Yes. Will I date eventually? I sure hope so. But in the meantime, I’m going to set my eyes on my King, the one who rules my heart now, who will rule my heart forever. I’m going to wait for my Father in heaven to say “Look up, that’s him.” And who knows? When he does show up, maybe we can sing Disney duets together. It’ll be a Whole New World.
P.S. - Please look up “Looking for a Girl” by OBB. It is SUCH a good song about waiting for a godly relationship.
Before I go any farther, I want you to know that I don’t think dating is wrong, and I don’t think that high school dating is wrong. I do think that some of us, especially in high school, have been called to wait to date. So if you’re dating, I’m not trying to tell you you’re wrong. But please, go ahead and read this anyway. I want to share my struggles with being single in a relationship centered world, in hopes that I can pour some strength into others struggling with the same thing as the Lord pours strength into me.
I’m sure we’ve all seen the classic Disney princess movies. In fact, I just finished The Little Mermaid. The idea of a dashing prince coming to whisk us away from our seemingly boring world, taking us away and making us part of their world is a fascinating idea. Why is it that the whole world wants us to kiss the girl when some of us have been called to stay under the sea, at least for now? Unfortunately, our lives are not Disney Princess movies. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to dance out of my castle singing musical songs and having a flash mob follow me around. I don’t think that’s how it works, though. We can’t just “get the prince” like that. Unlike the princesses, we have to wait for our princes sometimes.
For some reason, this world gives us the idea that if we’re not in a relationship then we’re not valued. What if I told you that that is completely false? What if I told you that we are more valued than we will will ever know, by a Creator that formed the stars, can count all the sand on the seashore, and still knows our names? That this Creator is a King, who calls us all His children, making us princesses? Newsflash: it’s true. Because we’re princesses, that means that our Father has a prince waiting for us. We just haven’t found him yet. Just because we haven’t found our prince yet, doesn’t mean that we have to stay locked up in our towers waiting for our lives to begin. But, as I’m sure we all well know, waiting for our Prince Charming is hard.
If you’ve been called to wait to date, there is a reason. I don’t know mine, and you might not know yours. But I think that while we’re waiting, we shouldn’t focus on the fact that we don’t have a romantic relationship. Use this time to focus on your relationship with your Father, the King. One of my favorite quotes says something along these lines: “I want a man who’s so in love with God, that the only reason he notices me is God says: “Look, that’s her.”” Wow. Talk about goals. Work on getting closer to God, and God will bring you your prince. Also use this time to grow your friendships. Here’s a little tip my mom told me, you can learn just as much about what you like and don’t like in a boy by being friends with them. Two of my best friends are boys, and I have learned so much about what I want and don’t want in a husband just by being friends with them. Focus on God, focus on your family, focus on your hobbies, focus on your friendships.
Waiting can be so hard. Believe me, I know. Have I liked boys? Yes. Will I again? Yes. Will I date eventually? I sure hope so. But in the meantime, I’m going to set my eyes on my King, the one who rules my heart now, who will rule my heart forever. I’m going to wait for my Father in heaven to say “Look up, that’s him.” And who knows? When he does show up, maybe we can sing Disney duets together. It’ll be a Whole New World.
P.S. - Please look up “Looking for a Girl” by OBB. It is SUCH a good song about waiting for a godly relationship.