Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

A couple of months ago, I called my dear friend, Sheila, on the night she was preparing for her first date out with Quinn, a man she’d recently been introduced to. They met at a wedding and instantly hit it off with great conversation. He’s 36 and she’s 43. Both have children from previous marriages. It’s been a month and already they’ve declared that they’re ready for something more serious. Sheila didn’t think it would happen for her because she’s been single for such a long time. She’s enjoying every minute of her relationship with Quinn. She said to me, “I know the age difference is a thing for a lot of people, but when it’s blessed and ordained by God, age is only a number.”

The challenges of being a single parent can be some of the hardest to manage alone. It can be overwhelming because life doesn’t slow down. It keeps moving and sometimes at an unbelievable pace. There’s so much to do, and it feels like there’s not enough time in a day to get everything done. Finally meeting someone that has personal experience with some of these challenges, and seems to be caring, supportive, and thoughtful, is what just about every single parent is longing for. It’s more than a breath of fresh air, it can be a powerful wind that causes our boat to sail for the rest of our lives. That’s the dream, and we can be confident that God will bring it to fruition, but there are some pieces of wisdom we can’t allow to slip our minds.

Don’t neglect the Spirit
God’s Word advises us in Proverbs 4:23 that it will take our diligence to keep our heart safe from worldly invasions. Jesus Christ tells us in Luke 6:45(NLT), “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” When we accept the Lord Jesus into our hearts and give our lives to him, our lives no longer belong to us; they are his. God sends His Spirit to come and live inside us, and from that moment on, we are to walk in the Spirit as our Heavenly Father commands. Our hearts must change, and we should no longer produce evil, because the Spirit empowers us to only produce good things.

Don’t neglect the Spirit and allow a new man in your life to interrupt our commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Many of us do this because we’re so excited about the blessing God has given us. He wants us to enjoy the relationship, but not to the point that we neglect or forget who He’s made us. It’s no secret that dating a younger man can be invigorating, but it’s imperative to go into dating with patience, Godly intention, and wisdom.

Be a witness
Whether he’s Mr. Right, or he’s a lesson about what not to do, make sure your walk in Christ is a good witness before his eyes. Remember that God is watching how you handle things, because that speaks the loudest about whether you are spiritually prepared for that walk down the aisle. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus Christ commands us to always let our light shine out for all to see, so that others will praise God. Colossians 3:17(NLT) says, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” And Ephesians 4:29(NLT) tells us, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” These commandments of God are not negotiable. We don’t have an option to renege on them and still expect Him to lavish us in His blessings. A significant relationship will require a great deal of spiritual strength to maintain and keep it blessed. The only way for it to succeed is for us to follow God’s Word and be a good witness of the example of Jesus Christ.

Let God lead
We need to know that it’s possible for us to think that a man is sent by God, when he isn’t. Being cautious and patient as the Lord confirms we’re on the right path is the way to go. It’s wonderful to meet someone that seems to be our person, but we can’t let our enthusiasm drive us to be impulsive and unwise. When something is for us, and we are guarding our hearts in a way that honors God, we will not miss it. On the contrary, our Heavenly Father will help us to open our eyes to all the ways that we can be a blessing so that we are laying a foundation that secures a strong and lasting marriage. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Keep Your Heart”, written by Kim Times, edited by Fran Mack and KLizzie for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2024.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.