Love That Lasts: 30 Days to a Stronger MarriageSample

Hazardous to Your Health

"So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth." (Malachi 2:15)

Writer Pat Conroy, after telling his three daughters that he and his wife were divorcing, said he felt like he had “doused my entire family with gasoline and struck a match.” The painful effects resulting from such stress and guilt are not just a temporary problem. Dr. David Larson, a Washington, D.C., psychiatrist and researcher, has observed that all types of cancer strike divorced individuals more frequently than married people. He has also noted that premature death rates are significantly higher among divorced people and that being divorced and a nonsmoker is only slightly less hazardous than staying married and smoking a pack or two a day.

In the 1960s, the surgeon general declared cigarettes harmful to the smoker’s health. More recently, researchers have warned us about the dangers of foods high in fat and cholesterol. Perhaps it’s time someone issued a warning about the health risks of marital conflict. Ripping “one flesh” apart is one of the most devastating experiences in life. There must be a better way to deal with conflict.

Questions for Today . . .

• Is the state of my marriage affecting my health?
• How is divorce hazardous to a person’s spiritual life? (see Malachi 2:13-16)
• What can I do this week to promote my physical and emotional health?

Prayer . . .

Dear God, I receive this reminder that the damage done by broken marriages extends to the body, mind, and spirit. I humbly ask for Your help to make divorce “not an option” for my future. Amen.

(Excerpted from Dr. James and Shirley Dobson’s book, Night Light for Couples. Used with permission.)

Bonus Content: The Health Benefits of Marriage

When a married couple has a close, intimate relationship, it provides security that leads to peace in the home. Research shows this calming effect has physical benefits too, such as reducing blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. In this video, Matt and Ariel Holcomb explain why the opposite is also true, as conflict and separation can reduce immunity and cause traumatic health issues.