There are good reasons not to get into a committed relationship, according to preacher and Hollywood producer DeVon Franklin.
Franklin, the bestselling author who has worked on films like Miracles From Heaven, has been vocal about the importance of waiting for the right relationship instead of rushing into situations head first. Three years ago, he and actress wife Meagan Good released a book on the topic called The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love.
Now, Franklin is continuing to caution people against committing to others before they are ready. In a recent email that he sent out to digital subscribers of his “Mentor Mail,” Franklin revealed five good reasons “to just say no to commitment.”
Franklin’s first reason centered around those who may not be emotionally ready to commit to others before working through some personal things.
“Sometimes we’re just not ready for it emotionally,” he wrote in an email titled “Reasons Not To Commit.” “There’s still some work we need to do on ourselves, some personal heavy lifting that demands our focus and sacrifice for a while longer.”
Reason number two explained how timing could factor into commitment.
“Reluctance to commit often comes from a deep knowing that it’s just not time,” he wrote. “And that person you’re aching for? If that person is who God has set up for you, he or she will be there when you’re ready.”
While Franklin has preached to his followers about how powerful abstinence from sex is, he explained why that should not be the only thing keeping two people together.
“Another reason to hesitate is because you realize you’ve chosen a person because she or he was willing to wait—and not much else,” he wrote. “Giving up sex for you is a wonderful thing, but you can’t build a relationship on that alone.”
Some people may receive pressure from outside parties to settle down. However, Franklin insisted that those types of pressures should not cause someone to jump into a relationship.
“You shouldn’t commit because of pressure or fear that you’re falling behind, either. Don’t rush into a commitment because everybody else is doing it,” he said. “The people who pressure us into marriage are often the same ones who ask, ‘Why didn’t it work out?’”
He elaborated even further by cautioning people against committing just to make someone else happy.
“You also should never commit because it’s what someone else wants,” he wrote. “When you make a decision just to please someone else, you will always make the wrong decision.”
(Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images )