Bread from Heaven on….

DATING Cont.'d

By Evangelist J.K. Hamilton

IS THIS A GOOD TIME?

I’ve seen too many times people who are afraid or just reluctant to spend time with themselves go from one “dating” relationship to the next without taking time to recoup from the previous one.  This often leads to a compacting of unresolved and unsettled feelings, emotions and perceptions that are often carried from one relationship to another.  Compacted pain.  Compacted pleasures.   Compacted feelings.  The “New Date” now has to compete with everything good, bad or indifferent from the previous relationship.  This is an injustice to both parties.   There indeed is a time for everything and it is up to each person to move into a relationship when it’s time and to decline a dating relationship when it’s not time.   When dating takes place out of time… it depreciates in purpose.  A relationship that could potentially have been a blessing now becomes another learning scar for both parties involved.  Taste another tidbit from heaven regarding time.   In the same chapter of Ecclesiastes it says “He has made everything beautiful in its time…” (ch 3 verse 11).  Wow!!! That means that even something as risky (to some anyway) as dating can be beautiful…in its time.   Timing is essential to process.  Sometimes when dating relationships fail or end in disaster, its possible that incompatibility may not have been the problem but rather timing.  Even something as sweet as a grape if plucked from the vine too early produces sour rather than sweet.  There is a right time;  Knowing that time is sometimes difficult.  Accepting that time is an even greater challenge.  Yet if dating is going to follow a purposeful process…  Timing makes a difference.  Patience must prevail over loneliness.  Delayed gratification is strengthened by the faith that whatever blessing God has for you in the bush will be there until you’re ready for it.   Impatience prolongs the process of dating and distorts the purpose of dating.  Timing.  If you were just blinded in a previous relationship it may not be time to start leading in a new dating relationship.  There is a time to heal (Eccl 3:3).  If you’re trying to run while you should be healing you actually prolong the healing process.  Timing.  Timing. Timing.