...moving on?

I was on Facebook earlier. Someone had posted a beautifully art-worked placard touting the philosophy that when someone doesn't want you anymore, you should move on. 

How does that line up with scripture? Not very well.  The statement has two parts: (a) what someone else wants, and (b) what you should do.

As I troll through my Bible-search, it is pretty rare to find instances where people are instructed to make personal decisions based on what someone else wants. I found two: (1) Spouses should make personal decisions that regard the desires of the other, (2) and children, minor children, need to make decisions based on their parents' wishes. Beyond that, I haven't found many one-size-fits-all rules. Adult children are free to make any decision that won't dishonor their parents, which is a good idea in any case, because to do otherwise would be stabbing yourself in the back by besmirching your family name. But there is a walloping big difference between dishonoring one's parents and disagreeing them.

Unarguably, moving on could make it easier for the one who no longer wants you—in a sort of "I loved enough to let go" sort of way. But I haven't found a scriptural base from which I can argue that "love lets go" either. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (NLT Cor 13:7)  See? "Gives up and goes away" isn't on the list.  Therefore, telling someone else to do that is more manipulative than it is instructional.

Of course, moving on would be the right choice if the relationship was outside God's will to begin with. If that were the case, moving on would not be doing enough—repentance would need to accompany it. (Oh, and for the record, "if I hurt you, then I'm sorry," or even "I'm sorry that I hurt you," is not repentance. Such responses are things people say to give themselves peace of mind. It won't put peace in their heart, but in time the heart will harden sufficiently that peace of mind is enough for them.)

But what of a relationship that was God's will? One that He sent for you?  God's plans do not change. So what is going on?

In every relationship there is always going to be a proving time. Most exams don't commence when a bride flees four days before her wedding, but KatieLyn's test anxiety was higher than we ever knew. 'God will prove you out before He promotes you up' is a maxim that applies here. Our role is to be faithful, obedient, and patient in order to fulfill God’s call. The enemy may temporarily throw a wrench into God's plan, but that doesn’t mean the calling has disappeared. Our faith plays a role in keeping Satan's devices from becoming permanent.

So, no. We don't move on because we see a poster with appealing graphic design. We don't move on at someone else's selfish desire. We don't move on so that others can be more comfortable in their guilt. We don't move on until God tells us to because joy is found by being and staying in His will.  I am confident that He knows where the next step goes and when to take it.