DATING AND WAITING BY DR. MYLES MUNROE

Key Concepts

• Personal Wholeness as a Prerequisite: You are not ready to date until you are complete within yourself. A healthy relationship is a union of two whole individuals, not two half-people looking for someone else to "complete" them, instill worth, or provide purpose.
• Dating is Primarily for Friendship: The main purpose of the dating period is not intense romance or physical intimacy, but the building of a deep, meaningful, and transparent friendship. This foundation of genuine friendship is what supports a strong, lasting relationship.
• Waiting is an Active Season of Growth: Waiting for the right person is not a passive activity but an essential time for personal development, healing, and preparation. This season should be used to develop character, clarify vision, and align your life with your divine purpose (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially).
• Love as a Choice and Commitment: Emotions and physical attraction are fleeting. The book stresses that true love is an act of the will—a daily choice and an unconditional commitment to your partner, even when difficulties arise.
• Purpose-Driven Dating (Intentionality): Dating should always be intentional and purpose-driven, with marriage as the goal. Relationships should have direction and focus; avoid time-wasting, undefined relationships that lack a clear path forward.
• Sexual Purity and Clear Boundaries: Maintaining sexual purity before marriage is presented as essential for clear judgment and protection against emotional heartbreak and spiritual wounds. Setting clear emotional and physical boundaries helps lay a healthy foundation for the future.
• Compatibility Beyond Chemistry: True compatibility for a successful marriage goes beyond chemistry or superficial attraction. Shared vision, values, goals, and spiritual alignment are the critical elements for discerning a potential lifelong partner.
• Seeking Wise Counsel and God's Timing: The book encourages seeking guidance from trusted mentors, family members, and community leaders. It heavily emphasizes patience, trusting in God's perfect timing rather than rushing due to societal pressures or the fear of being alone.