Our Father in heaven, so much in the dating scene today seems so broken — unnecessary ambiguity, unhealthy communication, fear of commitment, boundaries crossed, messy breakups. Because we are yours, we desperately want our dating to be different. Set our relationship apart from every fallen example around us. Allow our love and respect for one another to say something profound and beautiful about your Son, even when we make mistakes or sin against each other.
It will be too easy to focus our attention and energy on each other — the status of our relationship, the nature of our conflict, the trajectory of our feelings — but the most important dynamic in our relationship will be its influence on our relationship with you. I am naturally more concerned with what my girlfriend (or boyfriend) thinks and feels about me, when I should be far more concerned with what she (or he) thinks and feels about you. God, inspire in us a passion for each other's faith and joy in you.
Father, guard us from isolating ourselves and our relationship from other believers. The more time we spend one-on-one with each other, the less time we spend with other important people in our lives. That distance is one of the greatest dangers in dating. Draw the men and women we need into our feelings, our communication, and our decision-making. Bring us other Christians who love us enough to ask hard questions. When the temptation will be to date off in a corner, weave our relationship into real, consistent, and engaged community.
Dear God, thank you for loving me. I pray that you prepare me and shape me into the godly woman I need to be to be ready to date a godly man. I pray that you continue to do a work in me, that you will take me out of my comfort zone and closer to you. I pray for my future spouse, that you would protect him and guide him closer to you as well, so that when we meet, we are ready for each other!
Dear God, I'm not good at relationships, but you are! Please help me to quickly discern between the right person and wrong person. Please give me contentment while I'm alone and wisdom when I date. You know the desires of my heart and I pray for your guidance along the way.
Dear God, thank you for this opportunity to go on this date and meet someone new. Please help us keep YOU at the center of our relationship. Regardless of the outcome, please help us to keep our focus on what you want for our lives. If it is your will for this to work out, I pray that you continue to bless our dates going forward.
Dear God, please help me to honor you on this date with my actions and my conversation. Please help me to resist temptation and to be an example of you in my life.
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are our creator, you know us better than anyone else. You brought us together and you have promised that you have plans and a purpose for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Remind us that you are the center of our relationship and that you are the one who watches over our future. May we look to you for wisdom and guidance. May your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.