Can a Marriage Survive Infidelity? - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - June 24

Can a Marriage Survive Infidelity?
By Vivian Bricker

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4).

Many couples have faced infidelity at some point during their marriage. If you are someone who has gone through infidelity, you know how painful it can be and how it can affect your entire life. Once our spouse is unfaithful to us, we have the choice to either file for divorce or try to repair the relationship. Infidelity is a valid reason for divorce (Matthew 5:32); however, many wives do not want to divorce their husbands even after an affair.

While some family members and friends may struggle to understand why we chose to stay with our husbands after an affair, we can honor our own decisions without allowing their reactions to undermine our healing. If we have chosen to stay with our spouse after they were unfaithful to us, we need to try to rely on God rather than others. Judgmental individuals will only make us feel bad about our decision or inferior.

During these times, we need to know that we can turn to Jesus for help. He will direct our steps and give us guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6). If the Lord has already directed us to stay with our spouse after we turned to Him in prayer, then we need to find comfort in this truth. Many people think infidelity is the game-over card, but this is not always true. For some people, it can actually strengthen their marriage.

With God, couples counseling, and support from trusted Christians, a marriage can be repaired after infidelity and survive. There are many reasons why a person commits infidelity, and we need to try to see things from their perspective. While it is never right to be unfaithful to our spouse, there are often many factors that can lead to it. A lack of support, a lack of love, and an absence of emotional closeness can lead our spouse to be unfaithful to us.

This does not pardon their offense; however, it does help us to know the reason behind the affair. Oftentimes, by working on these areas, a marriage can survive and become victorious. There won’t be any more infidelity because both spouses feel equally loved, cared for, and valued. However, if your spouse was unfaithful to you because he or she was “bored” with the marriage or wanted to “experiment,” then it probably would tell us that this marriage will not survive.

It is also important to note how your spouse behaves after an affair. Did he or she come clean about it, or did you find out about it in another way? Similarly, is he or she showing signs and behavior changes that show deep remorse? Do they want to make things right with you, or are they being indifferent to the issue? Answering these questions can help you know if your marriage will survive.

If your spouse comes clean about it to you, shows signs of remorse, wants to make things right with you, and wants to repair the relationship, then your marriage can survive. With the proper effort, time, and dedication, your marriage can survive and come out of the flames stronger than ever before. This won’t happen right away, but over time it will, and you will be thankful you didn’t leave your spouse.

Hebrews 13:4 tells us, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” As the writer of Hebrews tells us, marriage needs to be honored by all, and the marriage bed needs to be kept pure. God will judge all those who commit adultery and are sexually immoral. This needs to be taken into account as we are navigating this season of life. God never wanted your marriage to go through infidelity; however, you have to take the proper steps now to emerge on the other side.

By reflecting on Hebrews 13:4, we can find comfort in God. He always intended for marriage to be honored by all. Never did He want infidelity to become a reality for any of us. We need to find comfort in God and trust Him to help us as we pick up the pieces of our marriage. He will provide comfort, support, and hope to our hearts. Our marriage can survive infidelity because of God’s redeeming work and His saving grace.

“Dear God, my spouse was unfaithful to me, and I’m deeply hurt. I’m not sure I can survive this season of life. I want my marriage to be repaired and to have a wonderful relationship with my spouse again. Please help my spouse to find conviction, repentance, and change in You. Help me to also find comfort, love, and forgiveness in You. Thank You, Amen.”

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Popov

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

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