Let’s be honest – dating can be difficult to navigate as a Christian. I for one having made a lot of Christian dating mistakes. Besides the normal relationship pitfalls, Christians who date with the intention of spending the rest of their lives with someone have a whole slew of other questions, such as:
Is this person across from me at Starbucks “the one”?
Will God show me they’re my spouse?
Should I “flirt to convert” and date people outside the church?
How committed should I be at each stage of the relationship, and should I expect the same from the other person? Is it cheating if I’m exploring a connection with more than one person?
As someone who has been through it, I’ll be the first to tell you that it can be really tricky. Many Christian singles end up feeling lonely because of these uncertainties and pressures that hamper their dating journeys.
Crowdsourcing
We asked our SOCIAL community to share about their biggest Christian dating mistakes, and got some really interesting answers about what it’s like being a believer out there in the wilds!
Here’s what our users had to say:
Christian Dating Mistakes
Raphaela
I was constantly looking for a sign from God if the person I’m on a date with is “The One” instead of just getting to know the person in front of me.
Aiden
Never ignore your gut. If you don’t have peace or something feels off, then it’s probably the Holy Spirit giving you a nudge. However, don’t over-spiritualise it – for years I believed that if I was pursuing God and serving Him, the ideal relationship would just fall into my lap. This created a ton of pressure and I wondered how I must have failed God. It’s not that simple!
Raquel
I would try to change someone to make them fit into my dream relationship. They never changed, but I ended up exhausted and hurt.
Meg
Having a ‘saviour complex’. When I first became a believer, I dated a guy who wasn’t a Christian but I could see he was a good guy underneath. I thought I could help him clean up and find Christ… long story short, it didn’t work!
Stephen
Believing people’s words and ignoring their actions. It must be consistent with both, otherwise you get mixed messages.
Tamara
I used to believe someone wanted to be with me based on a few words and “love crumbs”. I now look for godly character, sincerity, and actions that show the potential for commitment. I’m now ruthless with removing time wasters and commitment-phobes from my path! Wish I knew this in my teens and twenties. 😀
Sioban
This guy I was chatting with kept apologising for his slow responses, and after weeks of painful back-and-forth, he said he’s taking a break from dating. If a guy is genuinely interested, he will make a proper effort!
SALT Social
Conversations like these can really help us feel connected in an increasingly solitary world. Come connect with a vibrant community of single Christians on SOCIAL – a community feed built right into the SALT app!
SOCIAL is the go-to space for users to connect on a fun, engaging platform that’s about sharing life together. Ask for relationship advice, share a worship song, or post a photo of your favourite coffee spot. And who knows, you might meet someone amazing along the way!
Join in the conversation today on SOCIAL! You’ll need to download the SALT app to not miss out.
Want to hear what our community said about whether guys should make the first move? Read it here.
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