For the readers who aren't aware, once you are accepted to do the World Race, you are asked to not date anyone what so ever until after your race has finished. If you're already in a relationship, engaged or married… It's a different conversation. But I was instructed that we are not allowed to date anyone while preparing for, and while on the field. This means people back home, locals or teammates.
My first thought was, "Ok, this makes sense. New relationships are distracting, they cause you to focus more on building the relationship than anything else you're doing… such as serving God on a missionary journey." So my immediate reaction following was, "Cool, I agree with this. It isn't a problem. I want to focus on doing God's work 100% so I don't really care about that rule."
Few days pass, couple weeks even, and I'm realizing that while I know that I can go that long without being in a relationship… it still weighs heavy on me. I'm the type of person that finds comfort in being in a relationship. I've spent almost half of my life, starting in my Sophomore year of high school, either pursuing a girl or in a relationship with a girl. When I'm not single, I think of the girl I'm with. When I am single, I think of the girl I want to be with. Healthy? I suppose not. But I have moments where I think like, "Man, what if I meet this really amazing girl and I just can't give up the chance to date her?" I fear for that situation and how much of a struggle it'll be.
Finally it donned on me. The youth group I help lead Sunday mornings is preparing to participate in a 30 hour famine to raise support for hungry children in Africa. It's a famine/fundraiser event. Earlier today during youth service, we all had a discussion about what fasting is and why we fast. The conclusion is that fasting is the action of ignoring a basic desire/need for a designed purpose. Ok, got that part. The next part is where it really clicked… The reason we fast is to create a void in our life, to turn around and completely fill it with God. Woah. Revelation here…
What if, now bare with me here, the reason we're asked by the staff to not date anyone prior or during the race is to fast from it. Granted, this wouldn't apply to some people (i.e. married couples, etc). But to some of us single folk, not dating until after the race is creating a void in our lives. Mine for sure. And so, what should I do when I'm reminded of that empty void? Fill it completely with God.
For me, it goes deeper than that. Being most comfortable in a relationship, and always pursuing or being with a girl, supplies me with intimacy. So the intimacy I'll lack over the next year and change, I need to turn to Jesus and be like, "Look… I need You, Dude. Make me more whole. Because only You can do that."
So, you don't want me to date? Awesome, I'll fast from dating. God will fill that desire in my heart for intimacy, and he'll be more abundant with every need I have than I can even fathom.
