The book I am reading as part of a launch team (“A Call for Courage—Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear” by Michael Anthony) contained the following statistic: “41 percent of first marriages end in divorce. 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce. 73 percent of third marriages end in divorce.” [from “32 Shocking Divorce Statistics,” McKinley Irvin Family Law, October 30, 2012.]
The immediate response to that is “Why?” And I would imagine the answers to “Why?” are many and varied. I would propose however, that one reason so many marriages fail is because we confuse love with so many other things, such as infatuation, sexual attraction, romance, etc. Most of those things fly out the window when difficulties and everyday obligations come through the door.
2 Thessalonians 1:3: “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers (and sisters), and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” [NIV]
Paul reminds us of three things in the above verse. Thanksgiving is to be constant. Faith is to grow. And love for each other (including our spouses and children) should be increasing. What makes that even more amazing is the following verse. “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.” [v4 NIV]
The Thessalonians’ love increased during trials and difficulties. Only unconditional love (the kind of love God has for us and we are to have for each other) can increase in those times. Infatuation, sexual attraction and romance diminish and if that is what our marriages are based on, they will not survive.
Father, may our love for You and others increase. May we learn to love others with the same love you have for us … unconditional love. Amen.
