Pastor's Corner

for Sunday May 29th
Is Marriage Dying?
Cameron Diaz recently declared that marriage is a “dying institution.” She added that we should “make our own rules”. She continues, “I don't think we should live our lives in relationships based off old traditions that don't suit our world any longer." Psychiatrist and a member of the “Fox News Medical A-Team”, Dr. Keith Ablow agrees and adds that marriage is “a source of real suffering for the vast majority of married people.” Based on his experience in his counseling sessions Dr. Ablow adds that he is “not certain marriage ever did suit most people who tried it.” We all know that some marriages are unhappy, we probably even know some couples who are unhappy in their marriage. I would add that at some point everybody has had unhappy moments in their marriage. However, marriage is not the cause of the unhappiness, the root cause of unhappiness in marriage is our own selfishness. James, the half brother of Jesus says, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1) So, getting rid of marriage doesn’t solve the problem, that would simply increase our selfish behavior and desires. If the relationship is not meeting MY needs then I want to be free to leave. Is that not the epitome of selfishness. Yet people believe that happiness and fulfillment will be found down that path. All those who have gone down that path are still seeking happiness and fulfillment. If we want to be happy, if we want to live fulfilled lives then we need to deal with our selfishness and there’s no better place to do that than in a marriage relationship.
Pastor Don.