Reflections on "Captivating" #2

     In last week's reflection, I focused on the characteristics of a woman's heart as described in Captivating. While reading these, I thought they were great. But, I also thought to myself, "What a perfect and incredibly non-realistic world." In our lives, we are lucky if we are able to fully express even just one of those desires. Why is this? Why are we hesitant to showcase our femininity and everything that comes with it? The answer to this million dollar question is the first sin, the fall of humanity as a result of the actions of Adam and Eve. 
     I know, it sounds ridiculous. You may be thinking to yourself, "That's such a cliché answer." But, it's true. You see, when Adam and Eve first sinned, they turned against their very nature. They went against the way God made them to be. A woman is graced with a sense of vulnerability. Yet, in the first sin, this vulnerability was taken advantage of. Eve was tricked! Satan used her vulnerable and innocent heart as a way to coerce her to fall into temptation. Men are granted a special type of strength, separate from that of a woman, that involves being a protector. But again, Adam went against his nature as a protector and failed to protect his beloved Eve from the wicked serpent. 
     As a result, we (the descendants of Adam and Eve), have been cursed with a flawed idea concerning the roles of a man or woman. Men suffer a loss of their strength - they either become a passive and weak man whose strength is ultimately surrendered, or a violent man whose strength is unglued (Eldredge 51). Women suffer a loss but in a very different sense. We lose our vulnerability. We become controlling, needy, and sometimes even dominating. 
     In an attempt to make up for this loss of vulnerability, we fill our lives with activities and commitments that allow us to keep up our independent persona. Instead of being open to love with a perfectly vulnerable heart, we lose ourselves to other things... things that do not come with a risk of heartbreak. In fact, "much of what we call our 'personalities' is actually the mosaic" of these other activities, activities that allow us to hide our vulnerable hearts (Eldredge 76). 
     I'm not saying that you need to stop partaking in all of the hobbies or jobs you love. What I am saying however is that we need to do a serious "spring cleaning" of our schedules and look at what is really bringing us genuine happiness and what is just serving as a distraction. Any activity that is worth your while will honor God, bring good to others, and allow you to proudly express all three characteristics of your femininity. 
     This reflection may seem depressing in a sense, but stay tuned! Recognizing the wound we live with (as a result of the first sin) is essential in order to understand how to work around it for our own happiness and the glory of God. Trust me, once you realize the extent of what you're working against, it's much easier to come up with a successful game plan to tackle it.