For I hate divorce,’ says the Lord, the God of Israel. Malachi chapter 2, verse 16

Divorce is one of the most taboo subjects within Christian communities. You’ll find that very few sermons touch upon this topic. Nevertheless, the realities are present and speak for themselves. According to the source “Justifit.fr,” the divorce rate in France is 1%. In other words, every year, 10 out of a thousand couples get divorced. Another statistic highlighting the significance of divorce in France: 45% of marriages end in divorce. The average age of divorced men is 42, and for women, it’s 44. Source (Justifit)

This is a topic you should address with your future spouse before committing to marriage. I recall that with Pascal, when we were engaged, we took the time to discuss this subject for hours to understand each other’s perspectives. From the beginning, we already agreed that there was no room for divorce in our relationship. Even though many people these days believe that God has grown old on His throne, and therefore, He might tolerate anything and everything, know, dear readers, that divorce can lead you to hell if you play with marriage.

In modern times, we see God’s servants divorcing for unjustifiable reasons and starting anew as if nothing happened, without anyone in the Church being shocked. Singers divorce on a whim and continue to sing. The Word of God hasn’t changed, and our God remains steadfastly against divorce because marriage is sacred and represents a commitment made before God and people.

You cannot divorce just because you think your husband has gained weight, is no longer sexually potent, has become impoverished, or because you can no longer stand him.

This is why you need to take the time to ponder on the matter before saying “yes” to your future husband. Are you capable of staying with and loving your husband if, after three years of marriage, he ends up in a wheelchair due to illness? Will you still be by his side if he becomes sexually impotent and can no longer satisfy you? Will you, like many other women, begin to cheat on him with a lover and seek a divorce? Will you stay and support him until death do you part, as you promised before God and people? I leave you with these questions to ponder and answer.

Your responses will determine whether you truly understand the sacred meaning of marriage: “till death do us part,” and not “till illness separates us,” “till a lover separates us,” “till poverty separates us,” or “till arguments separate us.” The Bible only allows divorce in specific cases, namely adultery, and when an unbelieving spouse wishes to separate. As the Bible has not provided an exhaustive list, there may be other valid reasons, of course. In the case where you wish to divorce, check if you have substantial reasons that could convince God.

We do not marry just for the best, as many women do these days, but for better and for worse.

This text is an excerpt from the book “The Value of Women” written by AZANLEDJI  CELIA.