What’s the Purpose of Casual Dating?

Before I started dating, I had a conviction that I would only date someone that I fully intended on marrying. Having this mindset gave me a very stable and clear mind when it came to dating. I wasn’t going to date for the fun of it or just to have a guy by my side.

In my heart, dating was that next step I would take to get to marriage. It’s not a game that was played or a fad, this was taking steps towards my future and I wasn’t going to mess around with that! Once my fiancé, Nathan, and I had that lovely little “talk” where all the good, bad and ugly came out, it was “Marriage or Bust!” That’s the way it should be.

After we had opened up and gotten a peek into each other’s pasts and then spilled our dreams for the future, there was no looking back. We had created a bond that was meant to be! We were on the same page and of the same heart.

After strengthening our relationship like that, it would have been very difficult to end it. If things didn’t line up like they should at this point, it would have been wise and fair to take a step back and re-think our relationship. By entering our dating relationship with the attitude that the other person was the one we intended to marry, we eliminated this problem!

Also, remember the God factor. If you prayed and felt right about the relationship, He will carry you through. Remain faithful and committed and while you have as much fun as possible together, remember the seriousness of a covenant. We know that God is a covenantal God and has proven His faithfulness over and over again, even in our failure. In that same way, our relationships should reflect covenant, faithfulness and forgiveness!

I should add that if, in the first few months of dating, you realize this is not right or that you are doing things for all the wrong reasons, I don’t see anything wrong with backing out to leave as friends and calling it “quits.” But next time you enter a relationship, make sure you have the right attitude. It’s not the end of the world that a relationship didn’t work out, but it becomes a problem when one after another they fail to last.

So, how should you enter a dating relationship? If you want to do it right and make it last, listen for God’s voice, have a “covenant” mindset, and remember, it’s “Marriage or Bust!” 

Bailey Riza is a young, passionate, up-and-coming voice in the music industry. A worship leader, songwriter and recording artist, she has a wealth of experience and a dynamic approach to teaching and leading. She is a member of the Faith Alive Band and travels throughout North America performing and ministering in many different arenas. Her songs have been featured on the Faith Alive Show as well as on Daystar Television Network. Her latest EP, Coming Alive, topped the iTunes charts in Canada!  She was born and raised in Saskatoon, Sk, Canada, and attends Faith Alive Family Church, where her parents are senior pastors. She loves her family, church and country and has a zeal to see this generation experience a powerful outpouring of God’s presence.