“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (Matthew 19:7–8)
The afterglow of the honeymoon usually doesn’t last very long. Within a short period one or both partners in a marriage relationship can become unhappy. Military life adds even more stressors. Frequent deployments put a strain on couples that many don’t survive. Like the rest of society, military marriages continue to fail half of the time.
What’s the answer? It starts by examining what God says about marriage. From these verses, along with other biblical references, it’s clear that the Lord has designed marriage to be permanent. Far too many couples turn to divorce prematurely, believing that they can’t be happy again in their relationship. A realistic view of marriage goes much farther than happiness based upon feelings. Feelings come and go, usually with the circumstances. Even the strongest marriages experience times when happiness diminishes.
Trust the Lord. He designed marriage. Happiness will come as partners work together with God to strengthen their relationship.
