Thanking God for What He’s Doing in Your Dating Life
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk
How often do you think to thank the Lord for the person you are dating?
People can be happy and content in their relationships—but not always remember the importance of voicing their thankfulness.
“God, thank You for bringing this person into my life!”
“God, I love how kind he is toward me. He reminds me of You because he is so kind.”
“Father, I didn’t realize someone could value me this much. No one has ever valued me the way she does. Thank You for revealing who I really am to her.”
Consider these questions:
What are YOU thankful for in your relationship?
Have you told the Lord about the special parts that mean so much to you?
Have you acknowledged the good things He has given you in this other person?
How does your heart feel when you think about how thankful you are?
Obviously, no person—and therefore no relationship—is perfect, but as the two of you work through the imperfections and weak places together, you will find many, many reasons to thank the Lord.
It is always an excellent thing to talk about your thankfulness with God.
But why? Why is being thankful so important?
As you go about your normal, everyday life, it can be easy to get “distracted” by worries and fears.
“What if I’m making a mistake dating this person?”
“What did my boyfriend mean when he said this? What if he meant it the BAD way?”
“How do I know if my girlfriend really loves me? How do I know that she will be there for me and help support me? I’ve never been this deep into a relationship before, and I am worried.”
Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation of God. (Ps. 50:23 NLT)
Listening to worries and fears can harden you against the beauty of your Savior, Jesus, and the incredible gift He has given you in this other person. Keeping your heart soft toward God (being thankful and honoring His ways) will set you up to witness His amazing salvation.
Being thankful helps you see the person the way God sees them.
When I had a sour attitude
and felt stung by pained emotions,
I was too stupid to understand;
I was like a brute beast with you.
Nevertheless, I am always with you;
you hold my right hand. (Ps. 73:21–23 CJB)
The person you are dating is the Lord’s treasure. They are of great, incredible value to His heart. That is how He feels about them, and it is how you get to think of them.
“God, thank You for the opportunity just to be with this man and spend time with him.”
“Lord, I am so grateful You brought this woman into my life. She reminds me of You.”
“Many of the things I love about You are things I love about him too.”
Being thankful is one of two reasons God comes to save people. If there is an area in your relationship that needs to be “saved,” go out of your way to be thankful and honor the Lord.
Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory. (Ps. 50:14–15 NLT)
Being thankful allows you to see God as He steps in and rescues you and changes the story, so you can win.
Take a few minutes to thank God for your relationship.
This week, think about what you are thankful for in your relationship:
What the person means to you,
How they remind you of Jesus,
How they bless you,
How you can see God at work in your relationship,
What you are learning about trusting Him, etc.
Set a timer for 15 minutes, and write down everything you can think of during that time. As you do this activity, keep in mind that giving thanks is more than just a good idea or a “church discipline,” but it is a real sacrifice that genuinely honors the Lord. It is a powerful act in the spiritual realm.
After you have made your list, read it out loud to the Lord, thanking Him for each thing you wrote down.
Finally, let us know how this activity impacts you! Please comment below, or click here to leave a comment on Facebook.
Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! For more about His amazing, unending love, check out Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.