Catching feelings

I want to be transparent about an important topic. Relationships are vital, necessary and longed for even in this modern world where every convenience is at your fingertips. A love story is exciting, nervewracking and suspenseful because you don't know how the story ends. Sometimes your romantic interest can be deceptive but you don't know at the time. Sometimes the enemy sends someone to derail your purpose, and even though the relationship may feel good at the time, it doesn't mean it's right.

I had a great friend in university. We bonded so well and talked so easily and I looked at him as a great friend. He was generous, kind and ambitious but he was also a womaniser. I chided him regularly about his romantic liaisons but we remained firm friends. I even went out with one of his friends for a while, after he introduced me to him. Somewhere along the line the friendship got tested and crossed the line into a relationship. I was saved by this time and he knew there was no way that I would sleep with him before marriage. He respected me for my stance but his character was not yet ready to be the type of man who could commit- especially as we were only in our early 20's.

A significant pivot in our relationship was when I felt the Holy Spirit tell me not to kiss him anymore. When I voiced my discomfort to him he asked what was the point of the relationship. 'What were we going to do? Hold hands??' Anyway we both went to church the next day and guess what my pastor preached about? I can recall this as if it were yesterday when she bellowed in her Jamaican accent, "I don't believe in all this boyfriend business! I don't believe in the kissing...."

I could not believe my ears neither could my boyfriend at the time. He turned to me and asked, "Did you tell her?" I said 'no'. The Holy Spirt spoke through my pastor on numerous occasions and this helped to strengthen my faith through all the trials and tribulations. Funnily enough, my friend seemed to have a calling on his life as whenever we went to conferences, he would be picked out of the crowd and told that God wanted to use him.

Unfortunately, he never accepted the calling on his life- although I hope and pray he is saved now- and ultimately, our relationship ended. He wanted more than I could give and I was not willing to compromise my faith for him. I grieved the loss of that relationship but thank God that I waited on the Lord! He had so much more in store for me than I could ever imagine.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path."