December 3, 2023
What are the foxes in your marriage? Could it be a job, a hobby, relationships with friends, or time on your phone? Those could very well be true for some of us, but what about familiarity?
Song of Solomon 2:15 talks about a little fox in the vineyard gnawing at the vines/roots. That small fox slowly chews on the vines and eventually separates the plant from the roots. Without nourishment, the plant will not produce fruit and will wither & die.
Have you ever considered being too familiar with your spouse could be a fox in your marriage? A fox of familiarity has the potential to cause a stall in your growth together. Sure, you should be familiar with your spouse. I completely agree. But what can happen is that familiarity can kill curiosity in your relationship. When we stop being curious, it can keep us from engaging with each other.
Do you remember dating your spouse before you were married? You wanted to know what the other was interested in, what their likes were, what they enjoyed doing, etc. It was like being a detective, trying to gather as much information as possible. But over time, that curiosity can fade and you may feel like your spouse gave you the sales pitch for buying a car when you were dating. They sounded interested in you at first, but now that attention seems to have faded away.
Being curious is a way that we can continue to grow together. Pray for a spirit of curiosity over your heart to learn about your spouse again. Not only will your spouse enjoy the time/attention again, but you may very well learn more about your spouse that you didn’t before.
Don’t let the fox of familiarity gnaw at the vines of your marriage.