7 Lessons Frozen Teaches Us About Love

As you already know, I love Disney’s Frozen. Another red-haired princess and a queen voiced by Idena Menzel? Oh yeah!

Anywho, I’ve already discussed why I love Frozen, so that’s not what this post is about. Today we’re discussing what Frozen teaches about love.

THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS POST. If you haven’t seen Frozen yet and plan on doing so, do NOT keep reading. Go watch it and then come back ;) YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 

Okay, so now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let’s dive in! :)

So from the top:

At the beginning of the movie, as children Anna and Elsa loved to play together. Elsa had ice powers and loved to make Anna happy by making it snow. That is, until one day Elsa accidentally hurts Anna with her ice powers. From that day on, Anna can never know Elsa has powers.

Elsa, being the protective sister she is, pretty much shuts Anna out of her life. She wants to keep Anna safe and, unfortunately, she thinks that means keeping herself isolated. I truly believe that Elsa did this out of her love for Anna, not out of despite like Anna viewed it to be.

Takeaway: Sometimes in our effort to love someone and to do what we believe is best for them, we end up unintentionally hurting them. Love isn’t always easy.

Later in the movie, Anna meets Hans, a charming prince from The Southern Isles. She instantly likes him and thinks he likes her as well. This is where they have their musical number, “Love is an Open Door.”{Confession: I LOVE this song :) }

Takeaway: Sometimes, when we’re feeling lonely, we tend to look for love and affection wherever we can find it.

At the end of the song, Hans proposes to Anna. (Yes, they just met each other earlier that day.) And she says yes. Thus far it seems like a traditional Disney love story, where the guy and the girl meet, fall in love, and quickly get married without learning anything about each other.

Anna and Hans are thrilled with their quick engagement. However, Elsa is not.

Takeaway: Just because you have a musical number with someone, doesn’t mean you should marry them. ;)

Elsa and Anna argue about Anna’s engagement, and Elsa accidentally starts a giant blizzard with her ice powers, covering their country in snow. She runs away in fear.

Later, Anna meets Kristoff. On their way to find Elsa, he finds out she and Hans are engaged. Then he asks a series of questions that she would know the answer to if she really knew Hans. (This is one of my favorite scenes.)

Takeaway: There is more to true love than finding someone who is cute (and who can sing). Inward characteristics are more important that outward appearance.

Later on in the movie, Anna confronts Elsa and begs her to take away the snow that’s plaguing their land. Elsa admits she doesn’t know how, and she pleads for Anna to leave before she accidentally hurts her. Anna doesn’t listen and, sure enough, Elsa accidentally strikes Anna’s heart with her ice powers.

Anna’s heart then slowly freezes. She and Kristoff learn from the rock trolls (AKA “love experts”) that only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.

They immediately assume this means true love’s kiss and that Anna needs Hans to kiss her. They rush back to the castle to find Hans.

After an unexpected turn of events, Anna ends up locked in a room, freezing to death, without her kiss.

Takeaway: When people say “I love you,” they don’t always mean it.

Olaf teaches Anna what love truly is: “Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.”

Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.

Takeaway: True love is sacrificial.

Anna and Olaf now search for Kristoff so Anna can get her kiss and thaw. However, before she can reach him, she discovers Elsa is in trouble.

And this is the climax of the movie. Anna sacrifices herself for her sister. This is one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the movie. Elsa believes Hans when he tells her that she killed Anna, and Elsa is utterly heartbroken, not caring that Hans is about to kill her. She hears him swing his sword, but to her surprise she doesn’t die.

She looks up and sees Anna standing there protectively over her, frozen into a block of ice. Elsa clings to her sister and sobs. Then, ever so slowly, Anna begins to thaw.

Elsa is thrilled when she sees Anna back to her normal self. “You’d sacrifice yourself for me?” she asked incredulously.

Anna nods, “I love you.”

Then Olaf excitedly gasps, “True love will thaw a frozen heart!”

And that’s when Elsa discovers how to thaw their country, through her love for her sister.

Takeaway: Love will thaw a frozen heart.

Then the country is restored to it’s glorious summer state, and they all live happily ever after :)

So what does Frozen teach about love? Let’s recap our takeaways:

• Sometimes in our effort to love someone and to do what we believe is best for them, we end up unintentionally hurting them. Love isn’t always easy.
• When we’re feeling lonely, we tend to look for love and affection wherever we can find it.
• Just because you have a musical number with someone, doesn’t mean you should marry them. ;)
• There is more to true love than finding someone who is cute (and who can sing). Inward characteristics are more important that outward appearance.
• When people say “I love you,” they don’t always mean it.
• True love is sacrificial.
• Love will thaw a frozen heart.

Which takeaway will you carry with you today? Let me know in the comments!

Posted by Kara Beth & filed under Devotionals. This post has 4 comments.