What do you do when a dating relationship ends (not because of a lack of love or lack of wanting to be together, but because you are pushing each other towards God’s plan instead of your own)
You trust God and you move forward. You try to heal and you pray for the Lord to use the ending of that relationship to glorify Him and reveal to you valuable lessons.
Take time to reach closure for the relationship. You have to be able to be comfortable with the person, especially if you are both believers you are brother and sister in Jesus. That's why it's so important how you date and pursue purity because you aren't each other's spouse yet and if you go tying yourself to that person without a covenant involved, once a breakup comes it gets really messy, and its hard because you're breaking soul ties.
Singleness is a gift according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:6-9 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
In singleness, it is much easier to pursue your own callings because you aren't concerned with the welfare of someone else.
What do you do with toxic friendships?
Step 1. You need to identify that it's a toxic friendship. Some characteristics of identifying whether a friendship is toxic are
Manipulation
Lying
Gossiping with or about you
This isn't all-encompassing but it's a few qualities
Step 2. Pray and ask the lord for clarity, wisdom, and discernment on the situation. Open your bible and see what the lord has to say. God speaks primarily through the bible which is readily available to anyone in the US, its an app.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Step 3. Ask wisdom from an older and wiser person, preferably one that is disciplining you already and knows your heart and it is a safe space for you to talk with them about it in a way that isn't gossip but genuinely seeking biblical council.
Step 4. Look at it as a ministry opportunity to show Christ and his love. If you feel like you are being led to have a conversation with that person, do it in a way that Jesus would.
Matthew 5:39-40 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
Continue to pray as you navigate it. Have the perspective that you are saved and free in Christ and anyone who is toxic is probably struggling with sin or maybe they aren't saved at all. You should pity them more than you should be angry with them. Allow your heart to break over sin so it forces your actions to be from a place of love for people who probably really need it.
Step 5. Forgive them and begin praying for your heart and theirs.
the loss of a relationship?
Since we covered the ending of a dating relationship we will take this more in the direction of a friendship or maybe a family member. First,a we just want to reiterate if we haven't already how difficult all of this is. Nothing about losing any kind of relationship is easy but we live in a fallen and broken world and unfortunately, this is part of it, even in Christian community there will be a loss of relationships sometimes, even though we strive for that to never be the case.
Lamentations 3:13-15 He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.14 I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long.15 He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink.
