If you met your boyfriend or girlfriend on a Christian dating app like Upward, there’s a chance you don’t live in the same city or state. When you’re in a long-distance relationship, missing someone and not being with them physically is hard. But there are ways to make it work. Here are five tips for surviving a long-distance relationship as a Christian.
1. Seek God Together
There are many ways to build a Christ-centered relationship, even when you’re doing long-distance. Praying together is a way to connect with each other and God, and it will help keep your faith and relationship strong. You can also read through the same passage of the Bible at the same time and have conversations about what you read. Also, many churches have online services or record their sermons to watch online. That means you can *kind of* even go to church together while you live in different cities, states, or countries!
2. Communicate Often and Openly
Effective communication is key to surviving a long-distance relationship. You shouldn’t assume what the other person is thinking or feeling. And you can’t expect them to read your mind. So, let the other person know if you experience jealousy, distrust, or anxiety about being apart. It’s better to communicate about these common struggles than let them fester and negatively affect the relationship.
3. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Thanks to technology, just because you’re in a long-distance relationship doesn’t mean you can’t see the person. Use Facetime or other video chatting apps to your advantage. Make sure to have meaningful and challenging conversations when you can see each other face to face. Doing so will help eliminate misunderstandings and provide more opportunities for a deeper connection.
4. Schedule Regular Visits
While video chats are great, there is no substitute for spending time together in person, so be sure to plan trips to see one another. The most important part is to plan these meetings in advance. Life gets busy, traveling costs money, and it can be hard to get time off work. But when you make visiting each other a priority and actually follow through, it can positively impact your relationship.
5. Set Clear Expectations for Communication
It can become a problem if you’re an all-day texter and your partner would rather have one phone conversation every night. You might think your boyfriend or girlfriend doesn’t want to talk to you because they aren’t texting back. And the other person might feel overwhelmed if they get text messages all day. The best way to avoid different communication styles becoming an issue is to set clear boundaries and expectations about when and how you’ll communicate. For example, maybe you text in the mornings before work or school and check-in during lunch, but you save the longer conversations for your evening phone calls.
6. Trust in God’s Plan for Your Relationship
No one said that a long distance relationship would be easy, but with God’s help, it can be successful. God knows you and your partner. He knows what you need and can help guide you both into a loving, lifelong relationship. You just need to lean on Him for guidance and trust that He has your best interest in mind. While it’s not always easy to do, it is the best tip for surviving a long distance relationship as a Christian.
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