THE MAIN THEME: WHO DO I GO WITH?

TITLE: CRUSH AND LOVE

 The bible verse for today’s devotional  is:  Song of Solomon 8:4 )NIV)

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love  until it so desires.

Devotional:

It is in our design as humans to desire connection with other people. As we evolve through the stages of life, what that connection would look like will change and at adolescence, it is not unusual to be attracted to members of the opposite sex. This is normal and knowing this and accepting it will place you in a better place to prepare and know what to do when that happens.

God made us with emotions, with the ability to feel and have desires. However, his gift comes with the responsibility of ensuring that we use these emotions responsibly, to bring glory to God. Songs of Solomon 8:3-4 admonishes us not to ‘awaken’ love...until we are ready.  This doesn’t refer to the love between family members or those within our community, but it refers to romantic love. There is a right time for everything. In the same way we would not hand a race car to a toddler to drive (for obvious reasons), allowing ourselves to be distracted by crushes will not serve us well in the long run.

When we are attracted intensely to someone because of their looks or qualities or because they are the famous girl or boy in the school, chances are we are crushing rather than loving them. A crush is an intense emotion and can pass away as quickly as it comes, as the novelty wears off. Often, crushes can lead us to compromise our values in order to keep the relationship. On the other hand, love grows gradually and is based on commitment and the desire to see the best happen to the other person, even if that best means that they are not in a relationship with us.

God desires that we grow in love, first towards Him, this will help us prioritize His will in our relationships and when we do this, we will most likely awaken love at the right time and with the right person.

 Here are a few reflective questions:

•  Are my current relationships moving me closer to God or away from God?
• Who can I ask to be my accountability partner, ensuring that I can assess and curb  impulsive emotions? 

Let Us Pray:

Dear God, I am grateful that you have good plans for me and at the right time, they will all come to pass. Help me walk with you and trust your timing for all things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Please say these words of affirmation after me. Say them, mean them, own them and live them:

• God has great plans for every aspect of my life
•  I choose to be guided by His word and the Holy Spirit, not by my emotions
•  I will wait for God’s best, even in relationships.

Have a great day precious ones. I’ll see you tomorrow.