Making Marriage and Family's Supernatural

In my blog today, I would like to discuss a concept that has been growing in prevalence, that, I feel, could be prevented in most cases. Disclaimer: there are understandable circumstances that should be addressed to protect the health and safety of individuals. However, I feel that in most cases, divorce can and should be prevented. Some causes of this could be: “sliding” into marriage, a lack of communication, not marrying for the right intentions, finances, and many other things. Marriage can be stressful, and it’s difficult adjusting to living a newly married life. However, when a couple learns to work things out and commit to staying together, generally things work out well. 70 percent of people who were very dissatisfied as newlyweds were, 5 years later, very satisfied with their marriage. Many people who ended up getting divorced said, 2 years later, that they should have saved the marriage.

As difficult as divorce is on the couple, it is also difficult for the children affected by the divorce. Children that are affected by divorce are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, other mental health problems, and behavioral problems. Though I have not personally experienced this is my direct family, I have a good friend who is experiencing this firsthand in her family. The consequences are devastating and is influencing the rest of her family’s lives.

Understandably, there are circumstances in which divorce should occur. The consequences of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse are far more detrimental to a family than the consequences of divorce. When marriage relationships reach the level of emotional or physical harm on individuals, then those individuals need to consider the safety of themselves and their family members.

However, good marriages don’t just happen. Marriages are supernatural, and it takes a lot of work. If people assume that they are going to just happen upon a “happily ever after”, they will never be satisfied, no matter how many remarriages they have. “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained upon principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.” (A Family: A Proclamation to the World). In other words, we can’t be focused on ourselves in our marriage and expect to have joy.

Understanding that my topics that I am blogging about are sensitive topics to many people, I hope that none of you assume that I am trying to throw out a bunch of applications for marriage and families. My intent is not to focus on the applications, but rather to focus on the doctrine and principles of marriage and family. I am not married and don’t know everything about marriages or families, but I do believe in the doctrines and principles of marriage and family, and I believe that they will bless our lives. The principle that I full-heartedly believe about marriage and family is that it is God-given, it is supernatural, and it will become a blessing to our lives if we allow it to be. However, we cannot expect our marriage and our family to be great and supernatural without work, love, and selflessness.

I would love to hear some of your comments below. Thank you for reading my blogs, and I hope it has been as wonderful and insightful as it has been for me.