For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
– Ecclesiastes 3:1, NLT
Do we really believe this Bible verse?
If we do, I suggest “everything” includes a time for divorce. It may not be the best of all options–just as making war is not better than peace–yet like war, it may be the best of the bad options left on the table from which to choose.
Sometimes the season suggests to the wise that divorce is the proper course of action. In particular, I believe this is true when dealing with a cheating spouse.
Hanging onto a marriage continuously being ravaged by lies, abuse, and infidelity is like stubbornly wearing flip-flops when there is two feet of snow on the ground.
Reading the season properly will save you a lot of “frostbite”–i.e. pain and grief.
God has given us the brains to make and wear good boots for snow days. Further, God has given us brains and divorce to deal with situations where a spouse is unfaithful and thereby abusive (see Jeremiah 3:8, Matthew 19:9, I Corinthians 7:15, etc).
What are signs saying about your season?
Pay attention to them!
*A version of this post ran previously.
Yes. Ecclesiastes 3:5 “a time to refrain from embracing” was one of the versus God used to speak to me when I made the difficult decision to separate from my husband.
Thank you for the reminder.