‘What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” ) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Romans 8:31-39(NLT)
‘In my distress I prayed to the Lord , and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.’ Psalms 118:5-7(NLT)
Hopefully this study has helped you see the incredible value of marriage. God’s design, while broken by sin, is redeemable through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. His Spirit helps us live out His perfect plan, and in Him, any marriage can be restored.
God desires for our marriages to reflect his relationship with the church. He wants us to practice sacrifice, humility, grace, and forgiveness towards our spouses so that we honor them and honor God through marriage.
Living in this way can help you restore your marriage. Leaning fully on the power of Christ’s Spirit will give you the love, energy, and desire you need to make it possible, and no one can do it on their own. We all need Christ’s Spirit and His people through the church. Don’t be afraid to seek help, even when it seems no one else is struggling. Pastors, friends, and Christian marriage counselors can help you and your spouse reorient your hearts towards God’s design for marriage. Do not give up.
As a covenantal relationship, both spouses need to be fully invested in fixing and fighting for a marriage. Both need to fully rely on God’s Spirit. If you are putting in the effort, but your spouse is not, pray that God would soften his or her heart. Only He can fully draw people towards Himself. All you can do is offer the grace and forgiveness that God, through Christ, has offered you.
When a marriage covenant is broken through adultery or abandonment, spouses should seek wisdom from local pastors and their church community. All throughout scripture, readers see that breaking a covenant is no small matter, and that is true for marriage as well.
No matter what situation you find you and your spouse in, though, God can help you. Fight against the natural desire to figure it out on your own and instead, seek His wisdom through regular scripture reading, prayer, and reaching out to other Christians. God can heal your marriage, and He can heal your brokenness if you seek Him out. The verses for today remind us that He is for us.
from Pursuing Love While Considering Divorce