And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
-Acts 12:21-23, KJV (quotation marks added)
Strange things seem to happen around situations involving infidelity.
Much of the strangeness probably can simply be explained when the truth is apparent. It looks strange because one is only reading part of the story. The cheater is withholding material information.
Then sometimes you encounter events that are simply spiritually spooky.
I had one of those transpire in my story:
My ex-wife had a professional mentor who we had seen for marriage counseling (bad idea!). When we had visited at her office, I always had an “icky” feeling in my spirit about that location. It felt dark. Something was “off” there.
She suddenly died in the midst of our marriage chaos.
To this day, I wonder if God intervened regarding this person’s influence over my ex and our marriage.
It could have just been a natural event, too.
However, the death itself was rather unsettling considering all the prayers of protection being prayed at the time. Specifically, I remember prayers about removing bad influences over my (now) ex were being lifted up to God.
Spooky.
Situations with adultery and infidelity are situation rife with spiritual warfare. Souls and God’s highest metaphor–i.e. marriage–are at stake. It ought not to surprise us to encounter spiritual or unexplained phenomenon in that fight.
I wonder.
It’s pretty spooky to me that I read this very passage last Sunday and can’t get it off my mind ever since and then here it is. You have no idea how much your posts help me and I am sure many many others. God is using you in a mighty way. Thank you for sharing your insight and wisdom. I have pondered on this verse all week. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is probably wrong of me to feel a little vindicated when I read, see, or hear of God releasing His wrath on the ungodly. There is so much adultery today. Maybe I just notice it more. I know it has been going on for all of time. But it just seems to be so accepted and almost expected now. God’s view and laws are the same. It is not okay. I know He says that vengeance is His. And I know we only need to be still and He will fight for us. But sometimes I just feel like they just get away with it and there doesn’t seem to be consequences. I read God’s word to say adultery leads to death, pathway to the grave, and such. But sometimes it feels like the betrayed just continue to suffer. We just get to watch them parade their new toy all over town proudly when your divorce is not even final. You have to watch your child have this person put in their life and this lifestyle being shown as acceptable. I am just having a low day or two and it will be okay. It is so hard when kids are involved. It is so hard anyway though. I am tired of hurting, but I don’t know if it will ever completely stop. But I have faith it will get better.
After our divorce, my adulterous ex got breast cancer…
At the deepest pit of my anger over her betrayal I might have smiled about this news. Why not, David prayed awful prayers to God against those who were his enemies? Maybe God was behind it?
Fortunately, I was far enough along in my forgiveness process that I no longer desired her to suffer and I am sure God did not inflict that awful disease on the mother of my children.
It is pretty much to be expected that you would wonder about God’s justice when you experience your ex flaunting his new toy. It is good to be angry about it. It helps you build the necessary emotional distance between you. This distance will help you set healthy boudaries and give you room to heal and grow into the person God created you to be. When the time is right, you will choose step away from this horrible event and into the light of a new life God is revealing to you.