Dating on the Run

A day full of chick flicks and Michael Buble gets a girl wondering. As those around me begin relationships, get engaged and walk down the aisle, I have found myself content in the gift of singleness that God has blessed me with. However, after a day like today, Satan has had plenty of vulnerabilites to attack. Because I love sports, the athletic analogies catch my eye more than any other. In high school I ran the 100. From warming up and getting my feet steady in the blocks until the clock stopped, my eyes were constantly on the finish line. Looking to my left or right during the race would only slow me down and throw off my focus. In my walk with Christ, I am keeping my eyes on the finish; the day when I finally get to see my Savior! Sadly, I find myself looking around sometimes. I have set my blocks correctly, by believing the Christ is God's Son and that He indeed rose from the dead and is, shut up!, coming back again!! I know that I am His, and He is mine. My left foot is a foot ahead of my right one, and my blocks are two fists away from the starting line. I can lean out in faith that they will not slip when I take off. As I run, I should not look behind me. Get on my level! Yup. That's super sassy. However, the Bible clearly states that we should not be unequally yoked (2 Cor. 6:14). Yes, that automatically triggers the nonbelievers reaction in my brain, but let's take that to the believers as well. In a relationship, I want to be pushed toward Christ, not held back to wait. I am a competitive person so the thought of being spurred on my someone in the lane next to me to get to the end faster appeals to me. Think about it. Having someone who pushes you in your walk with Christ. Not like, I memorized all of Numbers...get on my level! But one who is truly seeking the Lord and as they get closer to Him, you find yourself wanting to get closer as well. Honestly, I need to give up the control of looking around. Thankfully, I have gotten better at this since my freshman year of college. God's timing is perfect, and I shouldn't settle as I wait for Him to bring someone along. I should be so focused on God and the finish line that all I see is a head run by me, sparking the competitive edge in me to catch up. Funny. What catches my attention isn't his appearance but the fact that he is so diligently running the race that I am. 1 Cor. 9:24 is perfect, but check it out in The Message. "You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win." Sometimes, my competitiveness can be a struggle, but in this light I see it as a blessing. In my mind, running just for the fun of it isn't appealing. Praise God one that runs to win is what catches my eye. I pray my future husband isn't just running the race to finish, but diligently running the race to obtain the prize. "All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally." 1 Cor. 9:25. For now, I need to bask in the gift that God has given me, full of no distractions, able to whole heartedly pursue Him who is pursuing me. And when He's ready, He will put someone by my side to push me even more towards Him.