When I Told Him I Didn't Like Him Back

 When I Told Him I Didn't Like Him Back

And How He Responded Showed Me Everything I Needed to Know About His Character

Back when Steve and I were “just friends,” I had a sense that he liked me.
Not because he ever said anything, but let’s be honest, most girls just know.
There was an intentionality, a quiet care in how he showed up… and I could feel it.

At that point in my life, I wasn’t interested in dating him, and I didn’t want to lead him on.
So, I sent a text. A kind but clear message that said, essentially,
“Please don’t get your hopes up. I only see you as a friend.”

He simply replied:
“I understand.”

Now here’s the part that caught me completely off guard:
He didn’t change.

We still had to work together, and he never treated me differently.
No silent treatment. No awkward distance.
He didn’t ignore me, or become cold or passive-aggressive.

He was still… Steve.
Kind. Respectful. Solid.
Consistent.

I wasn’t used to that.
Most guys I had known wouldn’t have handled that kind of rejection so graciously.

Later on, when we were finally together, I asked him how he managed that season.
He said,
"It didn’t shake me because I knew what I heard God say. I wasn’t scared of where you were in the moment, I trusted that God was working behind the scenes."

That stopped me in my tracks.
That’s what maturity looks like. That’s what grounded identity sounds like.
It wasn’t desperation. It was faith.

So if you’re praying for a future spouse, let me encourage you with this:

✨ Pray for character. Not just chemistry.
✨ Pray for someone who can handle hard conversations with grace.
✨ Pray for someone who knows who they are and trusts who God is.

And also—pray that God would open your heart, too.
Because sometimes the answer to your prayers is already in your life… and you just haven’t seen it yet.