Myles Munroe - Single, Married, Separated, and Life After Divorce: Expanded Edition

I warmly dedicate this book to the most wonderful woman I have ever met, my precious, darling wife, Ruth, and to the future that God is allowing us to be stewards of

to my two dear children, Charisa and Chairo (Myles, Jr.).

to the many prayerful members and supporters of Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship.

to the third world people in every nation.

I would further like to thank a number of special people who have contributed to my life and to the success of this project. Thank you to Mr. George Vinnett and his able and efficient staff for their help in transcription, production, and development of this project. I believe the commitment of Vincom to the integrity of the Word of God and quality publications is a testimony to the new breed of leadership rising in the Church today.

I am excited about Myles Munroe, his ministry thats always on the cutting edge, and this most unusual book. If you read it as carefully as I did the manuscript, you simply wont put it down. It will provoke you, make you look at the scriptures again, and pay more attention than you ever have to the real myth of singleness.

Divorce or remarriage or both will take on a new meaning in the light of Who wrote the book about it: God and His Son, Jesus Christ. You will learn something about your singleness if you are not married, or your singleness if married, without which you probably will never be happy and fulfilled, as God intended.

Myles, seven years as a student at Oral Roberts University in the seventies, from the Bahama Islands, meant business with God, with himself, with all of us. By the sheer force of his spirit and mind, he stood out. In the clipped British accent under which he was reared, we could understand precisely what he was saying. When he called me by my official title at ORU, President Roberts, it was not only with perfect diction but with respect. When were together today, he speaks the same way. Because he was far from home, he thought of my wife Evelyn like he did his gracious mother. He called her, Mama, and endeared himself to her forever.

I make these personal references to indicate that you will find he writes as clearly as he speaks and as succinctly, getting both into your spirit and mind, leaving you with an impact that will touch you to the core of your being.

I am proud of Myles and of this book and am grateful its now available to the Body of Christ and to those who will enter the Body when they read it.

Oral Roberts

There are few human experiences that are more tragic, devastating, and generationally impacting than divorce. Perhaps you will agree that few of us can say we have not been touched, affected, or do not know someone who has been hit by this traumatic social spectre.

I have traveled to many countries with varied cultural differences and unique social settings. And I have spoken and lectured in seminars, conferences, and conventions across the complete spectrum of socio-economic strata. I have seen the scars of divorce manifest themselves like open wounds oozing with hurt, bitterness, hatred, and disillusionment.

You may be amazed to learn that in many of my audiences, up to 60 percent either have been divorced or are products of a divorce situation.

Much of modern society around the world is experiencing the negative results of this relationship tragedy. In simple terms, divorce is the physical and legal termination of a marital vow that was intended to last forever.

In counseling thousands of individuals, I must conclude that I have not seen any experience more traumatic than a divorce. The emotional effect is unbearable, the physical toll is astounding, the spiritual impact is immobilizing, and the social cost can be self-inflicted isolation and low self-esteem.

This business of divorce is a very complex issue. Divorce seems to create more problems than it solves. Years later, many still grapple with the spiritual, moral, and religious elements related to divorce. Then there are the legal, social, economic, and material (settlements and/or restricted finances on both sides) aspects of divorce.

Most tragic of all is the toll on children and on the institution of the family. The ripple effect of such an experience is astonishing in its impact on people even after the event is legally concluded.

But, have you ever noticed that divorce is impossible without marriage? Marriage must precede divorce and is a requirement for divorce. Considering this fact, it ought to be obvious that marriage is more important than divorce. Perhaps this is the key to making divorce impossible.

Therefore, any exploration of the issue of divorce and its causes is important to everyonesingle, married, separated, or divorced.

As a matter of fact, the effects of divorce are the same for anyone who has ever experienced a break inor the termination ofa well-bonded, emotional relationship with another individual. This includes those who are married but separated, those who have been jilted or abandoned by a lover, those who go through the death of a loved one, or those who have experienced the separation of close friends.

The trauma, loneliness, sense of loss, effects on self-esteem, and battles or struggles with bitterness, hatred, and jealousy are the same for everyone who experiences divorce.

In this book, we will take a close look at the criticalness of being a single, separate, unique, and whole person in Christ before marriage, the importance of being joined together in Christ in marriage, and the very serious issues of separation and divorce. We will look at what the Bible has to say about these areas. Then, what about remarriage? What do you do with the hurt? How do you forgive? Let us begin.

Its okay to be single, but not good to be alone.

My secretary buzzed to say my next appointment had arrived. I walked to the door to meet and welcome the person who, up to that moment, had been only a name in my appointment book.

A beautiful young lady dressed neatly and smartly walked in and sat down.

She suddenly blurted out, I cant take it anymore. I am tired of being single. I need a mate now. I am growing older, and life is passing me by. Whats wrong with me? Why does no man want me? I must be ugly. There must be something wrong with me. I feel like killing myself. Please help me!

Those words were not strange to meI had heard them many times. Over the years I have had to help thousands of individuals find their balance and review their concepts of life. So I shared with her the myth of singleness.