8 I gave Israel their letter of divorce. I sent them away because they were unfaithful to me so many times. -Jeremiah 3:8a, NIRV Oddly, MORE Qualified Than Less! I just want to point out how pastors who have experienced divorce from an unfaithful spouse may be MORE qualified rather than LESS. Besides the pastoral care … Continue reading “Oddly, MORE Qualified!”
Category: Theology of divorce
Blind to divorce prejudice
If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. -Deuteronomy 22:22, NIV “Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, gives just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. In the … Continue reading “Blind to divorce prejudice”
Do not enter! …their warped reality.
There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. –Proverbs 26:12, NLT They traded the truth about God for a lie…. –Romans 1:25a, NLT Cheaters can come across as so confident in their lies. This confidence has the power to make even the most stalwart faithful spouse second-guess their instincts, hard evidence, … Continue reading “Do not enter! …their warped reality.”
Season for divorce? Yes.
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. -Ecclesiastes 3:1, NLT Sometimes choosing divorce is the best of bad options left for a faithful spouse. This is why I cite this wisdom verse. It is allegedly written by the wisest of all humans–bar Jesus–King Solomon. Everything means everything. That includes … Continue reading “Season for divorce? Yes.”
Sanctimonious Bovine Scat!
“I feel like I have to keep divorce as an option or I am making my marriage an idol,” says duplicitous Cheater. “God wants me to be happy,” says self-deceived Cheater. Sanctimonious Bovine Scat! The invoking of religion in an attempt to “justify” their cheating is especially awful, in my opinion. It messes with one’s … Continue reading “Sanctimonious Bovine Scat!”
Merciful gift of divorce
I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. -Jeremiah 3:8, NIV I am grateful for the merciful gift of divorce. The mercy is for the faithful spouse (see Mt 19:9). They are set free from the destructive path the cheater is hell-bent to follow to their ultimate spiritual … Continue reading “Merciful gift of divorce”
He is right…
He is right that you do not control him… …BUT you do control whether you stay in relationship with him! This is one of life’s hardest lessons to learn: I only control me. It is especially hard to accept when we wish a loved one would behave differently. Cheaters are big on telling us that … Continue reading “He is right…”
Holding it over their head forever?!
“I’m concerned that you will hold this [affair] over my head forever if I stay,” Cheater declares. A cheater who makes such a statement is still more concerned about themselves than the trauma they inflicted on their spouse by cheating. The statement really is revealing. Such a cheater still believes it is about their wishes … Continue reading “Holding it over their head forever?!”
A wicked way to go!
If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil. -Deuteronomy 22:22, NLT Cheaters sometimes choose adultery as a way to totally blow up their marriage on the way out. They are executing their plan to abandon their spouse via the … Continue reading “A wicked way to go!”
Grieving is complicated.
Grief hurts. It surprises even years after the loss. You might think you have “dealt with that” only to discover feelings ambush you at some surprise moment. Our culture does not do grief well. Churches can be especially bad on this number. This is particularly true as it comes to the grief associated with a … Continue reading “Grieving is complicated.”