Let me begin by saying this article applies specifically to boyfriends and those with boyfriends, yet I encourage those who are single or married to read as well because I address many factors that play into all relationships including marriage.

Boyfriends are interesting creatures. Some love them, some hate them, and some are them. Many are new and fresh, while others are well-seasoned soul-mates. I happen to be a boyfriend myself, which I consider a great thing dependent upon the day, hour, or minute. (Just kidding babe, I love you!) All boyfriends whether old or new have certain responsibilities and obligations to their girlfriend.

However, many of these responsibilities (or privileges, as some girlfriends would like to call them) can easily get lost, abused, or misconstrued within a relationship. Love is not easy, and good communication is imperative to a couple’s happiness together, but certain things on a boyfriend’s mind and heart can get swept under the rug simply because he doesn’t want to disappoint you or start confrontation.

Well, if you’re a girlfriend who has come to look for answers, or a boyfriend who wants an article to do the talking for you, here it is.

1. "I will never fully understand you."

I know. Shocker. However, this is so true! Many boyfriends make the mistake of thinking their girlfriends have identical thoughts and wishes, but girlfriends are entirely different. While it may seem like you would just love those Capri pants or flared Miss Me Jeans, let’s face it, I might as well buy you a gift card if I would like to get you something nice.

2. "I cannot be your source of joy."

On a more serious note, I am here to make you happy. I want to make you the happiest girl in the world, but there’s a difference between happiness and joy. Your joy should be reserved for Jesus Christ. He is the reason you are here with me and the reason for anything good in this world and I am no match as a replacement. In the times that you feel empty and lost, believe me, I am here for you and will always support you. But always remember that Jesus is the source of your joy, and he is the only one who can truly refill your spirit.

3. "I will mess up, but that doesn't mean I won't improve."

The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but unfortunately I cannot promise that I won’t. There will be times that I don’t see eye-to-eye with you, or I may even mistreat you. Whether it’s unintended or due to poor judgment, any pain that I cause you to experience pains me deeply. Let me assure you that I am always working to improve upon my failures. I will not be a second-class boyfriend and I know you should not have to settle for one, but please give me a chance to learn from my mistakes.

4. "I cannot be your spiritual leader or partner."

This is for your husband. Whether that will be me or someone else, I have not yet entered into a covenant of marriage with you. By all means we will pray together at meals or in times of need, and I will always pray for you in my quiet times. I will lead by example in the way I walk out my faith and have many spiritual conversations with you, but I cannot bear the weight of guiding you and taking up the gauntlet in your walk with Christ at this point.

5. "Please, do not submit to me."

Once again, this should be reserved for your husband. Ephesians 5:22 states “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord” (NIV). While I ask of your respect and loyalty, I do not expect nor can I handle your dependency and devotion. Notice Paul says “your own husbands as you do to the Lord.”

I believe this means that as you are devoted to following Jesus Christ, you are also to be devoted to following your husband and entrusting him with your life. As I’m sure you are thinking, this is a very heavy responsibility on any man that requires an unparalleled amount of trust by any woman, so please do not submit to me seeing as we both are unprepared and unequipped for such a decision.

6. "I wont to know your heart, but it's not that easy."

On a deeper level, I won’t always understand your heart. Believe me when I say that I want the best for you at all times, and I want to be the best for you at all times. Unfortunately, it’s hard for me to know what is on your heart. There are some things in there I won’t be able to touch until I am your husband, so until then it will require explanation and constructive assistance to figure out how I can be the best for you.

7. "Above all else, thank you."

What is important to me is not our arguments, our short-comings, or our differences. What’s important to me is you. I am with you because I see a woman who values the same things that I do. I am with you because I feel comforted with you.

Please know this because there are times when my pride or stubbornness will get in the way of me verbalizing my real feelings towards you in the right moments. You are precious to me, and I care deeply about you through the good and the bad even when it is hard for you to see it. Above all, thank you for supporting me in every way possible.

Your support is the driving force behind every little thing that I do for you. So once again, thank you for being exactly who you are.