 This is the sad truth about settling when you're looking for a spouse. In this context, I'm talking about settling as compromising your own convictions and values and settling for someone who doesn't align. Why do so many people do this? It's easy to judge those who do, but instead of judging them, we should get to the root of why this happens. One of the reasons is fear. Fear we're not gonna find somebody else. Fear that we're running out of time. Fear that we'll be alone otherwise. Now, obviously, a certain amount of compromise needs to come into play in relationships, especially regarding personal preferences. But when it comes to fundamental core beliefs, we can't let our fear drive us into an ultimately destructive relationship. So what do we do? We wait, we take opportunities to meet other people, we serve, and we continue to grow closer to Christ. It's not rocket science, but it is hard. But honestly, the pain of waiting is minuscule compared to the pain that we endure when we settle for someone who doesn't align with biblical values. Warning, this whole operation takes major discernment, so don't do it alone. Okay, rant over.