The world is littered with broken families, unhappy marriages, single-parent homes, a pandemic of every form of sexual immorality, resultant STDs, astonishing ignorance, and widespread misery. Have you ever asked why? Why has mankind never been able to solve these huge problems? Why do they only grow worse with the passing of time?

The answer is that for every cause, there is a resulting effect, and for every effect, there is a traceable, root cause!

Some examples: If you routinely overeat, you will become sick, overweight—or both! If you drink too much alcohol, you will become intoxicated. This could lead to other bad effects, such as a next-day headache, being arrested, or a fatal auto accident. Also, if you break society’s laws, you could end up in prison, which would hurt your family, career and your entire future.

In this fashion, the law of cause and effect directly impacts your life—and the life of everyone on Earth. The ways that this happens are endless.

But how do cause and effect apply to dating and courtship?

Dating, and the courtship that may ensue, are the precursors to the ultimate relationship—marriage. The effect—a successful or failed marriage—is what results from either right or wrong forms of dating and courtship.

But why have wrong forms of dating and courtship occurred? Because laws and principles of God are being routinely broken by billions of people.

God’s way of life—including the principles of right dating, courtship and engagement—is also based on the law of cause and effect. The Bible contains hundreds of laws and principles, each carrying the power of cause and effect for those who keep—or break—them!

When God’s laws and principles are obeyed, they bring countless blessings, benefits and good things into the lives of those who obey them. But mankind has routinely rejected—and even lampooned—the Book that reveals the cause of all its problems, evils and ills—the Bible.

If dating and courtship were practiced correctly today, they would form the foundation of a beautiful relationship between a husband and wife as God ordained it. The two would spend a lifetime together enjoying much happiness and joy. This relationship would include expanding the family to children who would experience more productive and abundant lives, because their home and family would provide a strong, positive environment, capable of nurturing them to adulthood and into their own successful marriages with children. Parents would teach children all they would need to know, and the process would continue through successive generations.

Does this sound like a fairy tale? Today it does! This is because modern society is shot full of wrong education, misinformation, hollow opinions, pop psychology, ignorance, bad advice—or no advice—all of which virtually block young people from any hope for true happiness in marriage.

Indeed, dating has radically changed from just a few years ago—and the concept of courtship has become all but extinct. Dating truly has become a lost art—but you can learn it! You cannot imagine the benefits—to you and others—that will come with the proper form of dating. It is meant to be an opportunity not only for fun, recreation and exercise, but also to learn about people, to develop social graces and etiquette, and to develop yours and others’ personalities, among other purposes.

Most of what you have learned and been conditioned to believe about dating is not correct! It is founded on wrong feelings of lust and selfishness! Accept this as fact!—and realize that looking to the all-powerful Creator for the correct way is the only path to long-term happiness!

To learn more, read my book, which is unlike any you will ever read on the subject, {%505}. It explains the difference between love and lust, the importance of emotional maturity, when people should begin to date, group dating, how to recognize compatible personalities, what to look for in people, courtship, engagement—and much, much more.

Be willing to shed society’s influence over you. Admit that you may need to unlearn almost everything you have absorbed, and replace it with sound biblical principles that yield success. Once armed with this new set of values, you can firmly rely on God to bless you with the best possible mate.