Failing to learn from Job's friends: "The Assessment" - Divorce Minister

Skip to content

As I have observed, those who plow evil
    and those who sow trouble reap it.

-Job 4:8, NIV

Within the evangelical culture, the belief that the faithful spouse did something “to deserve” the adulterous desertion of their partner is all too prevalent.

They have not learned from this erroneous assessment by one of Job’s friends as they came to “comfort” him. Such Christians assume the affliction is “just deserves.”

This is a real problem. It is hurtful and frustrating to encounter such erroneous thinking.

Accompanying this sort of thinking is the idea that the divorced faithful spouse needs to “own their part” of a divorce from a cheater. This assumption is made as if it is the entry price for being considered a “good Christian.” It is hogwash.

Let’s just say we do not want to be echoing the advice of Job’s friends in this verse. They were in the wrong.

It is past time the Church learns this as it comes to divorce from cheaters. The faithful spouse did not “bring it on themselves.” To even think such thing is despicable and calloused.

____

*A version of this post ran previously.

Post navigation

Give

Subscribe to the Daybreak Devotions for Women

Be inspired by God's Word every day! Delivered to your inbox.


Editor's Picks

  • featureImage

    A Time for Life

    Image generated via AI. Today, April and her Filipina Bible study group are surprising one of their members. It is her 45th birthday. They have gathered at our house until everyone is here, and the…

    5 min read
  • featureImage

    The Gift of... Accounting?

    While studying the topic of spiritual gifts this week, I stumbled upon a curious path and thought I would share my findings.Probably, when you think of spiritual gifts, accounting is not the first one that jumps to mind. I promise you that no one gets into ministry because they have a burning passion for budgets and spreadsheets. Still, as I said in a lecture to some college ministry students a few years ago at Oklahoma Christian University, "You can’t do any more ministry than you can afford, s

    4 min read