As we continue with our Feminology theme this year of emotions, we thought we’d try something new! Our blog post this month is a response to our recent Unshaken podcast episode 138 by Rachele Mickel titled “Feminology: The Emotion of Love. Take a listen below and read on for thoughts and reflections on the episode!
Unshaken Episode 138: “Feminology: The Emotion of Love” by Rachele Mickel
Hormones rage when we are young and love seems so intense during this time of life. We often speak of this emotion as “having butterfly feelings”. There is a Butterfly House near our home and we’ve taken our children there through the years. It is a fun indoor place where butterflies flit and flutter all around you. Occasionally you might have the thrill of a butterfly landing on you, but it is short-lived as it flies away as quickly as it came. What a picture of the initial feelings we can experience in a relationship. If our love isn’t nurtured regularly throughout the years, it will indeed flit and flutter away.
In Song of Solomon, the author exhorts the daughters of Jerusalem, “Do not stir or awaken love before its time has come”. This is a timely word for young people tempted to rush love before they’re ready. But, I wonder if the opposite exhortation shouldn’t be given to those of us who have been married for many years and whose hormones have seen better days? Surely the butterfly feelings have long since fluttered away. But, when the initial thrill is not constant, how can we purpose to love well? To not let this commitment to love grow old?
We, in this stage of life, should be diligent to awaken love after its time. In a marriage of multiple decades, love may grow cold or fall asleep. Remembering our vows, though, til death do us part, will hopefully prompt us to keep the love burning and wide awake. While we may not experience the butterfly feelings as often, love itself does not need to elude us as we purpose to love God more so we might love others, including our husband, more.
We like to tease my husband’s father for falling asleep during movies. Sometimes he’s asleep before the opening scene! Are our marriages sleepy? They’re worth staying awake for. They’re worth waking up and stoking the fire.
This principle applies to all people in our lives, from our husband and children, to extended family, friends, co-workers, and even enemies! Loving others for the long-haul requires us to depend on the Lord because He is good and holy, and He fills us with His love because our love will grow cold and be insufficient.
Loving others is a tremendous way to see our need for the Lord. Any time we face our need for God is a good time. Through His Holy Spirit, may we set ourselves aside and prefer others more, loving them and doing them good all their days.
Love, Wendy
{Click here to explore more episodes of the Unshaken Podcast!}
