Don't Settle For Second Best

Are you still waiting for your prince charming to come along and sweep you off your feet?

So many young women have such a desire to be married, wanted, and loved. But many times they don’t wait for the right guy to come along. Instead, they tend to take matters into their own hands, which can be damaging and not of God’s will. Our Heavenly Father has a plan and purpose for all of us. He has someone very special that He handpicked for us to spend the rest of our lives with. So why is it so hard to trust that He has it under control? How do we find the patience to wait?

The word singleness is often associated with words such as lonely, sad, and incomplete. Society gives the idea that there is a real need for us to be in a relationship with a "someone", or to have a significant other to be happy. Television programs, like "The Bachelorette," portray women seeking true love in staged, promiscuous, and rushed situations. But the thing that we need to understand, is that being with someone is not going to complete us. It will not satisfy us and make us whole.

When we decide to do things our way, we tell God to forget about His desires for our lives and make ours happen now. No more is it His will, but our own! So as Christian women, how do we fully put our trust in God’s hands and let things happen in His time?

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” -2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)

I have many Christian friends who got sick of the waiting game, so they settled for someone God had not intended for them. I myself experienced this firsthand. In high school, everyone was pairing up with someone. I seemed like the only one who wasn’t. So I decided to hurry things along and started dating a guy from my church. At that time I was young, naive, and felt the pressure to always keep up with everyone else.

Now, as followers of Christ, God calls us to be with other believers. Not only should they share the same beliefs, but have an equal level of maturity in their faith, vision, and each others' callings in Christ. I may have met my first boyfriend at church, but let me tell you that his words and actions in no way reflected Christ. 

When entering into unequally yoked relationships, many of us women think that we can change the guy we're with. That somehow we can be a light in their world--enough for them to turn from their old ways and start living a Godly life. It seems harmless as long as you each are respectful towards one another’s beliefs! WRONG. Although things may be going well in your relationship and the chemistry is there, there is one vital thing that’s missing: God! He is the one who brings people together according to His will. Entering into a relationship where both parties are on different spiritual pages is a recipe for disaster. Harsh, I know, but true.

Ladies, waiting for the right man to come along may take a lot longer than we would like. It may be hard to be around others who have found "the one." But know that God has someone very special handpicked just for you. Don’t try to rush what is not meant to be. God wants you to be with someone who not only loves you, but loves Him a lot more.

If you are with someone who you know is not pleasing God, consider drawing closer to God’s truth. The truth is that when you settle for a guy who doesn’t love Christ like you do, you will only set yourself up for heartache. It shouldn’t be a compromise you make. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t want to be second best. He knows exactly what is good for us and what is not. He wants you to be with a man who loves you and puts Him at the center of your relationship. He wants a man who will pray for you, your children, and family. A man who gives praise to Him for creating you. A man who won’t diminish the Godly call you have on your life.

Though one maybe overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)

As beautiful women of Christ, we deserve to be loved, cherished, and respected. Jesus gave His life for each one of us. That’s how much He loved us. Don’t settle for second best when you know your Father in Heaven has something so much better in store. Be content in the season you are in, and be patient. Trust that He has everything under control. Christ didn’t hold back when making a way for you on the cross, so don’t hold back making Him evident in every area of your life. His plan is a lot greater and bigger than yours!