The train car was packed with highly irritated people. We should have pulled into our station 4 hours earlier, but the train’s engine was stopped dead in a distant city. Exasperated, my husband and I cooked up a plan to get off the train, find a rental car agency, and drive the rest of the way home. We wanted to do something, anything but remain in our seats and wait.

The frustration of waiting sometimes compels us to take matters into our own hands—especially in matters of dating and marriage. The danger comes when we lower our standards instead of “staying seated” and waiting for God’s best.

Paul’s warning to the Corinthian believers can save us a lot of heartache if we apply it to our dating lives. He said, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

If you’re like me, you probably know some really nice people who think Jesus is just one of many ways to heaven. God calls us, however, to “come out from among unbelievers, and separate [our]selves from them” (v.17). So considering marriage with someone who doesn’t know Jesus is one sign that we should definitely stay seated.

When it comes to dating, we also need to avoid so-called believers who consistently act like people with no spiritual conscience. Paul advised us not to get involved with “anyone who claims to be a believer, yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people” (1 Corinthians 5:11). As tough as it is, we need to avoid romantic involvement with people who don’t walk the walk.

While no one likes to wait, it’s worth it to honor God’s standards for marriage. By doing so, you’ll be able to leap from your seat and run down the aisle if God leads you there.