Learning to trust God can seem impossible during the difficult times in our lives. I know because I have been there.
I have heard many stories of broken marriages being healed and restored by the power of God. My story is different. When my own marriage was in trouble, I hoped and prayed for reconciliation. But that never happened, and the marriage ended in divorce.
For a long time, I was in total despair. I carried feelings of guilt, shame and failure for not being able to save my marriage. Many times the hurt was almost unbearable. My sorrow seemed to drown out any encouraging words from family and friends.
Ultimately, I had to learn to trust God. He was my comfort, and He was waiting to heal me. At first it was extremely difficult for me to let go of my hurt and release it all to God. But in time I began to see healing taking place in many areas of my life.
As I saw my character changing, I began my journey to forgiveness. I learned that forgiveness is a process of moving toward freedom; it represents the love of God, which is total freedom. Of course, I had setbacks along the way, but I persevered through prayer and reading God’s Word.
People often say that time heals everything. I came to realize that God, not time, is the great healer.
It is not easy being divorced because of the stigma it carries, especially for women in the church. But God says that He will work all things out according to His design and purpose for our lives. Being divorced does not mean that life is over. In fact, it can mean just the opposite: a new beginning with God, and a fresh start at learning to trust Him completely.
God doesn’t give up on any of us. He loves divorced men and women. His command—whatever our marital status—is that we live a life of holiness with the help of the Holy Spirit. Our obedience to that command is reflected in our attitude, our character, and the way we live and treat others.
As I have learned to trust God, He has healed me and set me free to live the life He wants for me. Now I know the truth: I can be divorced, live holy and be free in Christ Jesus!
