ArticleLots Of Divorce, What Does The Bible Say?

Social media is often horrified by the divorce cases of public figures who so far seem harmonious. Various responses appeared on social media, and many regretted the divorce. Especially in the condition of small children, who actually still really need the active role of both parents. The reason behind the divorce, which is a personal matter, is kidnapped in such a way.

In 2022 in Indonesia, reported by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) there are 516,344 divorce cases. In total, an increase of 15.3% from the previous year. According to a report from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), disputes and fights rank first as the biggest cause of divorce in Indonesia. Followed by economic factors, leaving one party, and so on.

Deciding to marry and raise a family, of course, divorce is not expected to be the end of a story. Of course the purpose of marriage is not divorce, because no one gets married to get divorced. But married life is fairly complex.

Therefore, many see divorce as a last resort for solving problems. Divorce is generally pursued when various ways to solve the problem do not end well.

What is Divorce?

Juridically, divorce is defined as the breaking of the marriage bond between husband and wife by a court decision, and there is sufficient reason that between husband and wife will no longer be able to live in harmony as husband and wife.

Can Christians Divorce?

From the beginning, humans were gifted by God whose name is free will or what is known as free will. As the noblest creation, humans are given the freedom to choose and decide anything in their lives. But above all, humans will still be faced with a situation to be accountable for every choice they make. So is marriage.

In the beginning, marriage existed at the initiative and design of God for one man and one woman. Marriage is sacred and holy, as well as a lifelong commitment between humans and partners, and God.

For this reason, marriage is a choice that becomes a decision, and lasts a lifetime. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the risks, marriage must be maintained, because more than just love, there are promises and commitments that are made. In Matthew 19:6 it is written, “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate."

This verse is one of the affirmations that divorce is not something that God wills. Divorce is generally seen as a deviation from God's ideal plan for marriage. The Bible emphasizes the importance of a lifetime commitment and discourages divorce, except divorce by death.

Regardless of the situation, divorce is not a way out, because the consequences of divorce are too many. Biblical principles emphasize the value of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.

So what if the family is too broken, there are too many problems, and there is no other way to go but divorce? The truth is that nothing is too broken to be repaired, and nothing too broken to be restored. Openness is the beginning of recovery.

Preventive Efforts to Avoid Divorce

1. Asking for the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

As limited beings, humans need to realize that not everything can be done on their own. Despite being gifted by God with free will to make every choice and decision, humans still cannot walk alone.

In a complex married life, problems will always exist, but divorce is also not the best solution. Divorce will not only affect husband and wife, but also children. Children are often the ones who suffer the most, because of course as children they want to grow up with intact family conditions.

Moreover, a child cannot choose what kind of family to be born into. The impact of the separation of the two parents, more or less, will create a wound that continues to be carried into adulthood. Children can also experience fear of marriage. So, it is very important to ask for guidance, strength and wisdom from the Holy Spirit so that decisions are made in line with God's will.

2. Self-evaluate

No human being is free from mistakes, and so is oneself. Perhaps the problems that arise in married life can come from yourself, but because you are not aware, you tend to blame your partner.

Then a bigger conflict arises, because there is no awareness of the root of the problem. As an adult individual, self-evaluation in the context of marriage allows everyone to find what can be improved, be it attitude, behavior, communication, and much more.

This reflection and evaluation can also lead to personal growth, thus making oneself a better partner and individual.

By doing self-evaluation, humans are expected to be aware of strengths and weaknesses. Also threats and opportunities to maintain a marriage. Through self-evaluation there will be something called humility.

Humility to admit mistakes and shortcomings. Humility will finally encourage yourself to seek repair relationships, and recovery occurs.

3. Counseling With a Marriage Counselor

In an effort to resolve problems, a mediator is often needed to assist the parties in the negotiation process, so that an agreement is reached that is beneficial to both parties. In an effort to resolve conflicts in married life, contacting a Christian marriage counselor can be a solution.

A marriage counselor can serve as a mediator who can help couples work through conflict, resolve misunderstandings, and work toward reconciliation. As a counselor, the perspective provided is also neutral, facilitating constructive conversations that lead to understanding and healing.

In addition, another alternative for preventing divorce is increasing faith, by coming to church to listen to positive sermons or gathering with positive communities. The goal is to avoid bad things in both thoughts and events in our lives.

The development of communication technology, we can do various ways to be able to join a positive community. One of them is by downloading the Erista church application. With Erista, we can participate in all our spiritual needs, faith chargers, church management activities and there we can also create peace as taught by Christ.