Friends With Benefits

I’m single and I have tried the online dating scene. It’s not easy. Aside from sifting through the many candidates out there, I found there were so many who just wanted to have a “friends with benefits” relationship. For those who don’t know what that means, it is just being with someone for sex and keeping things surface level. It’s easy and not supposed to be much work or drama because there’s no real commitment to each other. 

When it comes to why this is a choice, it’s because some are afraid of commitment or just don’t want to level up to it. Some have been hurt in the past so they don’t want a serious relationship. It could be that some feel they might get stuck in something they may not enjoy and can’t get out of or don’t have control of. With this logic though, it makes us selfish and it’s not good because we are limiting ourselves. We are missing out on growing up and possibly having a true relationship with someone. 

We can tend to do this with God. We know coming to God has its benefits and that may be the draw. Staying with God is commitment though. When we are not committed to God, we only give Him a part of us and only seek a part of Him.  We tend to just come to Him when we are in trouble or cry out when we need something. Then we disappear when things are all good. We may do things like read the Bible or go to church just to say “Hey, I did it!” but it never be because of full commitment. 

Given all the benefits (salvation, life, and that more abundantly, healing, deliverance, peace, joy, provision, etc…) that come with giving our lives to Jesus Christ, and the relationship God wants to have with us, it is worth it to commit ourselves fully to Him daily to Him. It is worth it to die to ourselves, or deny ourselves and take up what God has for us. He gave up His whole life to be committed to us. The least we can do is the same. 

61 And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.- I Kings 8:61 NIV