Recently I have started to get more involved with my church and attend youth every Wednesday. Each week our youth leader covers a different topic and it hits people in different ways. This past week the topic was relationships and dating. Whenever we get involved in a relationship we often want to change our ways and how we act to better fit the person we're with.

When you get involved with someone and change for them, you start to lose yourself and lose your focus. A good tip to know if you're ready to be in a relationship is, are you confident and strong in your walk with Christ? Don't sacrifice your relationship with Christ for someone else! The absence of a relationship with someone of the opposite sex does not determine your significance or meaning of life. Just because your single right now doesn't mean anything is wrong with you! Being single could be God's goodness for your life, you need to trust in Him and his timing!

One of the many fruits of the spirit is patience! It is super important that we are patient in God's timing with who He places and takes out of our lives! It is also super important to seek someone who is committed to growing in their relationship with Christ. You are not supposed to be in charge of someone and try to change them. You can assist the person all you want to but it is ultimately going to come down to the person. That person has to be committed to constantly growing with Christ and showing compassion to others rather than contempt.

If you know to go into the relationship that you are going to let them take up all of your time then you are headed in a dangerous direction! Nothing should take up more of your time than Jesus! To tie all of this together I want to leave you with a question, what are you pursuing relationship-wise? Is it pleasing to God and are you seeking Him first?