#340 - Gut instincts. Are you listening?
The other day I was out running errands in a town that I’m not overly familiar with. I came up to a busy intersection just as the light turned red. I was in the left-hand lane and first in line.
As I sat there I was listening to Christmas music on Pandora and just watching cross traffic pass through the intersection. Then, the cross traffic started to slow and stop and within a few seconds it would be my turn to pass through the intersection.
As I prepared to go, I was looking around and something just didn’t look right. Everyone was stopped but it didn’t feel right for me to go. I paused and started inch my way into the intersection.
All of a sudden something caught my eye. It was a car in the cross lanes that just blew through the red light. Had I not paused and just turned left as I had planned, there would have been a pretty serious accident.
Personally, I think it was the Holy Spirit protecting me in that intersection. Whatever you call it, gut instinct, the Holy Spirit, angels, good juju, or just plain luck, I felt something or someone was there watching over me. I don’t know how to describe it any other way.
I am very thankful that I was “given a warning” or a “heads up.”
These warnings or heads up are the same ones most you get and apply to all aspects of life. You should be getting them when you’re dating also.
You’re given a gut feeling to warn you that something isn’t quite right. Even if you can’t put your finger on exactly what it is you should know something is off. This is when you really need to start paying attention.
Warning signs are warning signs. They present themselves for a reason. Maybe it’s the Holy Spirit nudging you to pay attention and that it’s time to make a change.
Maybe you’re being warned that there’s danger in this relationship. Or it might not be that dramatic. You just might be sensing that the person you’re with isn’t your soul mate even thought everything may seem fine in the moment.
How many of you have ignored your gut instinct?
I know I have. I’ve ignored it in dating situations, financial transactions, and any number of other situations.
There was usually a hard lesson to be learn afterward. Whenever I’ve felt that something was off and I proceeded anyway, I have always regretted my decision.
Hindsight is 20/20.
We can always look back and see where we made mistakes. It’s time to take that knowledge and apply it to future decisions.
When you start to get that knot in your stomach or intuition that you’re about to make a mistake, stop, listen, and don’t commit just yet.
Take time to wait and see what happens just like I did at the intersection. You might even start asking yourself “Why am I feeling this way?” or “What am I not seeing here?”
If you’re being pressured to make a decision or commit to someone this is even more reason to pause and evaluate the entire situation. You can also ask questions like “What do I gain from this relationship?” and “What do I have to give up for this relationship?”
If the things you have to give up or lose outweigh the things you gain, it should be pretty easy to recognize that it’s the wrong place for you to be.
The price of not listening.
The price of not listening is always high. It comes in the form of wasted time, toxic relationships, and broken hearts.
The sooner you start to listen to your intuition the simpler your dating life will become. Let’s face it. After a certain age, simpler is a whole lot easier and generally preferred.
Your gut instinct (or Holy Spirit) is never wrong. Pay attention to the signs or feelings that are being directed at you.
I hope I’ve given you at least one new idea to make healthier dating and relationship decisions today.
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Have a great and blessed day.