Malachi 2: ¹⁴ You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.

¹⁵ Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. ¹⁶ “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”

 

to divorce your wife is to ovewhelm her with cruelty...

 

in the biblical times this would be because the chances of someone else marrying her after divorce are slim to none.. she would have had to be widowed to get another husband and then it would probably be the brother of the dead husband.. which is unfathomable to me.... but anyways... I was thinking about the overwhelm her with cruelty... and about all the issues I have with men and marriage.. and while my own issues surely go back much further than just marriage... my probably go all the way back to birth.... but I agree with the overwhelmed with cruelty thing...

 

 

how I mean that is... I think for me.. I have felt like I could never live through what I had lived through ever again... and every time I try to give some small measure of trust to someone.. then I get crushed... so I am good with just me and Jesus... now I do see my heart changing... I know that to guard our heart is to not become hard hearted.. but I do see myself being self protective again... I am very ready to just have a friend... like in the past.. non emotional... non committed... non drama... non hurtful...