Patience In A Relationship

Waiting to be in a relationship seems to be the hardest area of our lives in which to exercise patience. At lot of that probably comes from the God-less worldview we are surrounded with every day. Since the world rejects Christ, they reject His plan for their life, including who they are to marry.

Therefore, finding a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse is a nonstop activity for most of the single world. Online, out-and-about, at school, or at work, people are always keeping an eye out for others of the opposite sex that are attractive, or might notice them.

With such an important pursuit as marriage, Christians need to resist fear, and practice patience and self-control.

“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:25-28

I have heard a lot of people (definitely more girls) who start to worry because they are over 19 and still not married yet. I get the idea that Satan likes to go around whispering in Christians ears lots of lies and to create fear that they missed their chance or will never get married now. It’s a perfect opportunity to attack our patience, our faith in God’s plan or try to lower our standards because “you’ll never get a guy who kept himself pure”.

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 1:5-8

Let’s look at Jesus, the best way to clearly see the right path for our thoughts. How old was Jesus before he was finally able to start preaching? Jesus had come to teach and die for the sins of His bride, yet he didn’t start his ministry until he was about 30 years old.

Was something wrong? Why start so late? Did it take God a long time to grow up? Was He a slow learner? No, of course none of this is true. At age 12, Jesus was already explaining the Scriptures to the teachers of the day.

It was God’s timing for Jesus to wait until he was 30. I don’t know all the reasons, but I know that it was the perfect amount of time.

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. - James 1:3-4

In the same way, we have to trust God that, if He has marriage for us, He also has a perfect time for it. We are tempted to act faithlessly in God’s ability to marry us. This is nothing short of insane if we really believe that God created all things, sees all things, knows all things, and is all powerful.

“For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Luke 12:30-31