Honeymoon

[We] rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint. Romans 5:2b-5a

There are multiple theories on the origin of the term “honeymoon.” The one I like best says that it came from a medieval tradition in some places for the bride and groom to drink mead, which is made from honey, for the first month of the marriage. It was believed this would bring good luck and improve fertility. Another theory is that the term was a warning to couples not to let their love wane like the moon.

We all want to feel hopeful about the future. When you’re at the beginning of something it is usually easy to feel hope. This is what we call the honeymoon period.

This could refer to marriage;
it could refer to a friendship;
it could refer to a school year;
it could refer to a job;
it could refer to our Christian life.

But there’s an expression– “the honeymoon is over”— which implies that the moon has, in fact, waned; that the relationship or situation has now descended into disappointment or even conflict. That super-excited feeling of a honeymoon can’t last forever. But just because a honeymoon period ends, that doesn’t mean things have to be bad.

As far as marriage goes, if a couple is mature and well-matched, after the honeymoon they don’t lose their hopefulness about the future. They aren’t fighting or disappointed. They simply move forward with peaceful daily living. They settle into a normal routine, but they are happier because they have each other and they’re doing life together.

When we become Christians we become part of the church, which is the bride of Christ. The Bible makes this marriage comparison for us. (See 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Ephesians 5:22-32, for example.) Even the honeymoon feeling that sometimes occurs right after conversion can’t last forever, but we should eventually settle into a happy routine of “doing life” with Jesus. How much prayer, Bible study, and worship this includes may fluctuate, but generally life is happier because we know we are in Christ, forgiven, and on a path to heaven.

What if we do have problems along the way? What happens to hope then? Romans 5:3-5 says:

We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Even good marriages have conflicts and low points, and in our individual journeys of faith, we may have times that we find our spiritual enthusiasm waning.

But sometimes it is the very tribulation, the problems, the conflicts, the difficult things that lead us back to hope. Why? How? This happens through perseverance. The Holy Spirit poured out in our hearts gives us the strength to work through the problems, and that makes us stronger. That’s what married people have to do when they have a disagreement. That’s what we have to do when school or work gets difficult. We can do it in our friendships and in our Christian life too.

So if you’re not in a honeymoon period in your spiritual life, that’s okay. If you’re a Christian, you’re in the best relationship there is, one that provides hope you can count on from a partner that will “never leave you nor forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5b).

Remember too, it isn’t you and Jesus against the world. You’re part of the bride of Christ, the church. So as much as you can, get with the church, be around others with zeal and commitment, and let that rub off on you. Keep working through the discouragement —persevere— and eventually you’ll find yourself on the upward trend of hopefulness again.

That elated honeymoon feeling we get when we fall in love, or get baptized, or get married, doesn’t last forever. But there can be a wonderful, happy, peaceful normal if we have the right attitude. And a sense of commitment and perseverance can bring us through difficulties and make us even stronger. Sometimes there’s even a second honeymoon.

Dear God, we thank You for the grace, the love, and the hope that You continually provide through Your Son and Your Holy Spirit. Help us to persevere in our relationships, even when feelings or circumstances cause us to doubt or stumble. Make us more and more like Jesus, so that our sense of commitment to You may never waver or wane. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins