Divorce
We’ve all read the statistics. Divorce rates have steadily increased over the past few decades, and splitting up is more commonplace and acceptable than ever before—sometimes even applauded. With the shrinking of religious ties, the stigma of divorce has ebbed away, creating a culture where commitment has become only a word.
Still, though, divorce is disruptive and messy, and has profound effects on both the involved spouses, and their children. Children of divorced parents have higher rates of delinquency, academic failure, and incarceration than children of unbroken homes.
There’s a reason for God’s commands. They’re not arbitrary—God hands them down because He knows what’s best for us, and wants us to be happy. He was talking about when He forbade divorce. Christ spoke on the topic, saying that “What God has joined together, let no one separate,” urging against divorce except in cases of infidelity.
As a Christian, it’s important to remember the commitment inherent to marriage, both when considering marriage, and when years into it. Remember that we are all human—divorce affects Christian families at almost the same rate as secular ones. Keeping in mind that your spouse is a flawed human being who will sometimes fail alleviates a lot of tension, and keeps us from holding on to unrealistic expectations—especially as Christians.
