Sucker Punch – Surviving Divorce - Thursday
Today’s Verse
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (NIV)
I am very grateful that I have been married for 23 years. I have a wonderful wife who is one of the most grace-filled, kind-hearted, and caring people I have ever met. We have a wonderful marriage. But I can tell you it’s not always easy…and there was a period in my life when the success of our marriage wasn’t guaranteed.
Early in our marriage, I kept a lot of secrets—everything from purchases to my online activity. I was a wounded young adult and I coped with those wounds in very unhealthy ways. In my mind, the lying was justified because I thought telling my wife anything would just hurt her and I didn’t want to hurt her. In reality, I lied and kept secrets because I was guilty, filled with shame, and scared. I lied because I was selfish.
It took way too long, but eventually, I was convicted enough to sit Arianne down and tell her everything. It was (and probably will be) the hardest thing I have ever done. Seeing the pain on her face and knowing that I was the one who caused it is something I will never forget. And yet, she didn’t give up on me. Although it didn’t happen overnight, those wounds did heal. The scars are still there, but so is our marriage.
I’m convinced that the internet, social media, and ultimately dishonesty lead to more divorces than anything else. If you’re serious about saving your marriage, make the decision to be honest now… before divorce feels like the only solution left. It won’t be easy. I promise you it will be one of the hardest things you do. But with God’s help, I pray you’ll be able to look back in the rearview mirror and see that honesty and confession were a turning point in your marriage. Draw a line in the sand today and come out of the shadows. Let God use your mistakes to draw you closer to Him.
REFLECTION
Are there things in your life you’re hiding from those around you? God wants to free you from those chains. Take away the power of Satan by confessing them and bringing them into the light today.
If throughout this week you want to talk to someone on staff at church about your marriage, or you would like to seek counseling, give us a call or click here.