Dear Sara,

Thanks for writing in with your question. To simply answer your question, I would say yes it’s better to keep some things silent for the sake of someone’s feelings and unneeded misery especially when it’s not an on going situation.

However, I would question whether it’s fair to your husband to pretend to love him when you don’t, all for the sake of some belief in the “sanctity of marriage”. You actually could be depriving him and yourself the experience of true love for the sake of some Biblical teaching that isn’t exactly black and white as some would think.

Life is short and one of the best things in life is being loved and loving someone from the heart and with your whole heart. You’re actually not only depriving your husband of this, but also yourself. Your dishonesty lies in this issue not so much the forbidden kiss. God’s grace is sufficient for every area in which we fall short, even making a bad marriage choice. There is forgiveness for ending a marriage and that in my view is better then “honoring” marriage vows for fifty years under a blanket of dishonesty.

Kindest regards,

Ted