Love Dare Days 23 & 24

Addictions and Lust....

These are areas in my life I’ve already assessed. When I sat down to evaluate again I really couldn’t think of anything to fall into either of these categories. I have already been warned about harmful influences and unhealthy relationships. The shame and parasites aspects were a little newer ideas to me, neither I found in my life.
I did take a moment or two to laugh at the definition of parasite the book gave. Anything that leaches to you or your partner and sucks the life out of your marriage; our kids came to mind. It made me laugh at the energy they seem to take from us at times. As I type now I guess I’m realizing it’s important to make sure even the blessings in our lives don’t have negative effects on our marriage.
I really enjoyed the part to women reminding us not too carried away by magazines, movies, or novels setting unrealistic expectations for our husbands. I would also like to add music to the list of possible contributing factors. The unrealistic, romantic notion of love saturating our media today wants us to believe we are not getting enough romance. I have been caught up in lusting over romance before. I have thought “I already know how my story ends. My romance is over and now I’m in the part of the movie they don’t really show, the real life stuff”. I know what my wedding was like. I know I ended up with the hero not the villain (by the grace of God). It’s not that I’ve ever been disappointed in my life, but its knowing the “how I came to know my husband and who he is part” that I know I’m never going to get back. For me movies and music were large contributing factors because they focused so much on romance and broken hearts. What is there to look forward to after such things, not that I’d go back and relive a broken heart for anything in the world.
I share these issues in case you are still in this place. God has blessed us with husbands. They are to be cherished and appreciated. We are not to set unrealistic expectations on them nor are we to always desire more fulfilling relationships. Our relationship with the Lord should fulfill us. When it is not, we really need to check our lives, hearts and minds and see where we are lacking in our relationship with Him.