Relationship Stress

I have heard stories and situations of married, soon to be married, ought to get married, won’t ever marry, planning to “unmarry”, and shouldn’t ever be thinking about marrying.

Arguably, the fact of the matter is that 51% of church marriages end up in divorce.  Tolerance levels are at an all-time low and people don’t want to stick to their choices or live with the decisions they have made.  Forbidden relationships are raging and growing increasingly tolerable, even though the Apostle Paul plainly admonishes us to let every man have his own wife, and subsequently, every woman her own husband.

As a secondary school administrator, I have noticed that many times students are involved in relationships that their parents would never approve. Teachers are also involved in forbidden relationships with others or have motives that could easily led to inappropriate interactions. What makes them forbidden? Sometimes age is a factor other times marital status, race and/or parental consent are concerns and societal norms also play a big part. One must be careful and considerate with relationships when employed in a position of trust.

Speaking of women, females are frequently baring the greater weight of relationship stress. Statistics tell us from 2017 that the average man is married about the age of 29.5 which means that if a woman does marry while she is about age 27.4, odds are, she’ll be pressed to settle down with someone who’s already been married.  According to US Census Bureau, the average age of marriage for a woman in the 90’s was 20 – 80’s was 22 – 50’s was 20 and in 2019 it was 28 years old and remained 29.5 for men.

Over a period of time women decided to marry increasingly later in life which, in my opinion, was due to several reasons related to the changing times of society including some of the “movements” that forced their way through our culture along with relationship norms. The stress of the biological clock ticking has eased up considerably with the up and coming options presented in terms of childbearing. There are still those women that look toward natural conception under the umbrella of marriage and the home with the white picket fence.

Remember that Satan is extremely deceiving and seducing those that will follow into compromising their Christian values by embracing the demonic ideologies of the world. Many times, we can be found looking for answers in all the wrong places such as consulting psychic hotlines for ungodly advice and seeking astrologers, self-help institutions, and soap operas for marital and relationship insight. This is due to lack of knowledge and the absence of faith on the part of wavering borderline desperation.  At the same time, there is a frustrating lack of proper, timely ministerial counseling, which is also to blame. Book a session with me and let’s navigate around the snares and tricks that have been placed in your path. Until then, be encouraged in your awareness.