THE DELICATE TOPIC OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Christian Marriage in Crisis: Part 1/3

Whenever I prepare to speak at a conference, I check in ahead of time with the local pastor or the leader of a women’s group to ask what they’d like me to speak on. The response is almost always the same: “relationships.” Every culture has its struggles, but in countries shaped by Islamic or Hindu traditions, cultural norms often carry into the Christian community, creating deep confusion and damage in marriage and family life.

This confusion touches everything—personal integrity, character, fidelity, and even church governance.

At a funeral, people speak kindly of the deceased, deserved or not. But when a marriage dies, no one commemorates what was once good. Instead, whispers surface: “I knew they wouldn’t last,” or “He was no good.” The children? They silently absorb the trauma, tuck away the memories of screaming matches and abuse, and often repeat the cycle.

Recently I spoke at a two-day women’s conference in Baghdad, and it was a privilege to stand before so many women. But I was surprised to notice several men quietly listening from the side. They had come because they heard I was speaking on relationships and marriage.

God’s Word offers a clear design for Christian marriage, but the challenges of war, displacement, poverty, and neglect turn what should be peaceful unions into volatile pressure cookers. The emotional explosions are like IEDs—devastating and far-reaching. And the irony? In a culture where people long for peace, violence has entered the home.

This raises questions: Does God care about our suffering? Can He heal this kind of pain in a post-war Christian culture?

The answer is a resounding yes. God cares deeply—especially about hurting marriages. He is acquainted with grief, and He specializes in healing what seems beyond repair. Not only can He strengthen a good marriage, He delights in resurrecting broken ones. Why? Because in those “only God could do this” moments, He is glorified—and hearts are drawn back to Him.

Part 2 will be in July’s issue of The Liaison.

Written by Dee A. Cook