Redeeming Divorce

A man has a choice when faced with divorce, and each day going forward – he can turn towards the world and what it offers to help him cope and survive, or he can turn towards God and what He offers. 

I have seen that – no matter what a man thinks or says – he chooses one of these paths.

What the world offers sounds and feels enticing and satisfying, but it offers very little – in fact, only three things:

1. An appetite for physical pleasure
2. A craving for everything we see
3. Pride in what we have and what we have accomplished

These are transient, temporary, and will not lead to an abundant life, because the appetite of the world is not aligned with what God desires. What these offer, especially in hard or painful circumstances, can lead to comparison, coveting, envy, jealousy, arrogance, poor choices, physical, mental, and emotional damage, broken relationships, and temporary self-satisfaction at the long-term expense of others. 

Contrast this with what God offers when a man turns his heart toward Him in divorce:

• Salvation
• Grace + mercy
• Right-standing with God
• Forgiveness
• Relationship + friendship with God
• An eternal inheritance
• Life-changing peace, hope, and joy
• A transformed mind
• All we need in our circumstances → patience, strength, endurance, longsuffering, wisdom, etc
• Growth in fruit of the Spirit
• Love and sacrificial service for others

These are not transient – I have found they offer true help, hope, and guidance in and beyond the circumstances I have faced and may face in the future. I have seen these change lives and relationships for the better. I have seen men thrive, even in divorce, when they turn this way. And above all, these have an eternal impact. 

If you are a man facing divorce, you have a choice today. Which way will you turn?

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Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17