GAMBLING WILL DESTROY YOUR MARRIAGE

By the time she was crying out for help, the man was already using his entire salary to gamble. There was a particular month that he gambled away their entire savings. At a time, he gambled away his wife’s salary alongside his own. 

What started as a little test to try it out had become a behemoth that cannot be chased anymore. It had eaten deep into the gambler’s soul, tearing hard at the soul of their marriage. 

Gambling will destroy your marriage. The addiction is quite destructive. I have heard of those who gambled away school fees (in dollars) because they thought there was some hope of getting a win. After the loss,  they steal other people’s money to recover the loss and see if they can win. Imagine someone married to such a person- it is nothing more than emotional torture. 

Gambling needs emotional engagement. It creates a void between your spouse and yourself. It becomes harder to hold a conversation because he or she is thinking that the only way to win is if they play. They have built a home of false hopes. 

Gambling destroys trust in the marriage. A gambler can make a promise to stop in a sober moment, but the next minute, he is out of the door with all your life’s savings again in the same trap. A gambler will lie to cover his tracks. When a gambler is in debt, you may have no idea. A gambler sees even the spouse as a means to an end. They use them rather than genuinely love them.

Gambling destroys the future. You can rarely build any kind of future with a gambler. Why? They have gambled away the future also. 

What would be your way out of gambling? 

First, you must understand that your true and unshaken hope can only be in Jesus Christ.  He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore (Heb. 13:8)

Second, come out plainly and honestly. You cannot cover your tracks and expect that your home will prosper.  Things hidden will surely eat you up and eat up the future. Confess to those who can hold you accountable. 

Third, submit control of your financial dealings to the scrutiny and supervision of your spouse. Hold on to the essentials you only need. This will help you regain the trust of your spouse.  

Also, cut off away any trigger. For instance, you may have to do away with football (soccer) and some friends who suggest that you gamble with a little at least. Kick them far from you!

Build a plan alongside your spouse for financial and emotional recovery. Develop a plan on how to pay back your debts and build financial stability. Why? Little wins give great hope to you. Hope is strongly needed to win over this stranger. 

Finally, never justify it. Do not look for any reason, no matter how plausible. If you defend it, you will approve it, and you will soon be lost under its grip again. 

Be careful. Meditate on the Word of God. Put it in your mind. Keep it in your mouth. 

Proverbs 13:11 ICB

[11] Money that comes easily disappears quickly. But money that is gathered little by little will slowly grow.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ICB

[10] The person who loves money will never have all the money he wants. The person who loves wealth will not be satisfied when he gets it. This is also useless.

Deal with the love of money! Again, it is idolatry. Put God first. Honour the Lord. Honour your spouse. Honour your family. Build a future.