84/444 Healing from Infidelity: Female Gender 3
2011.11.28
Ann:
Last week, I shared of how women are created to be relational. But wait, that's not all! As women, we are also designed to invite.
Our bodies are physically designed to invite, but we are also designed to invite relationally.
The Physical Invitation: God was very intentional as He created man and woman that their bodies would fit together perfectly, in perfect union, coming together into something beautiful and soul-bonding. Our world has done much to skew our vision of this beautiful bond and make it something less than it is. Our world has also done much to discourage women from inviting her man to be with her. Shame from experiences past including abuse and promiscuity. Comparison to images real and imagined that fill a man's mind. Inadequacy felt from discouraging words shared during intimate moments. Inadequacy felt from never learning what it means to truly invite.
Do any of these describe you? They have all described me at some moment in time. What I am learning is that Shame, Comparison and Inadequacy are nothing compared to the richness of an invitation that is met with Love, Tenderness and yes, a bit of Excitement.
The Relational Invitation: As scary as it is to invite our man physically, I imagine most women have as much (or more) fear bound up in inviting a man into their souls. Inviting him into our soul requires a softness and tenderness that relinquishes control of the grip we have on the door to our heart. Admittedly, there are times I can relax, let go and do this well and yet there are also times when I slam the door, lock it tight and seemingly throw away the key. It is during these times that I have come to understand the importance of inviting Ben in, not giving up on me or him.
He has at times been the cause of the slamming door, but at other times he has been a casualty of life pressing in on me and causing me to isolate and close off everyone, including the man most dear to my soul. Remember what I said a few days ago about women being created to be relational. Yup. That's why it is so important that we look through the peephole of our shut-tight door and yes, open it and usher in those who are most dear to us.