A funny thing has happened to me, over and over again, in the most unlikely of circumstances.
When my marriage first ended, I was embarrassed. Here I was … a Christian woman married to a man who believed the ministry was the calling for his future and I couldn’t keep my marriage together. Everyday I would see other couples who seemed to have more going against them than for them, however I was the one facing divorce. (Jealousy is never an attractive outfit to put on, but it is just one of the many emotions I felt – and asked God’s forgiveness for – through this process.)
Once I got over the shock of my marriage ending, I started talking to people … family, friends, pastors, a counselor, coworkers – anyone who was willing to hear what I had to say (this was the first time I went to a counselor, however I highly recommend seeking professional advice when people are faced with and drowning in the garbage life throws at us!). I talked to people because I needed to sort through my thoughts and what had happened in an attempt to gain some perspective on what broke. These talks, which I embarked on as a way to work through the healing process in myself, also served a greater purpose for our God and His kingdom.
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NASB)
Just like every marriage has its own formula to make it work, I learned that every divorce has its own formula of what caused the failure. At first, I felt like I was setting a bad example for Christ and the different way we, as Christians, are supposed to live our lives since I was heading down the divorce path. I was always quick to point out to others that I took my vows very seriously as I didn’t want it to be assumed I was taking this decision to divorce lightly. But as I continued to have conversations and more things came out in the open, something amazing happened as God stepped in. Rather than pointing out my failure at walking the Christian walk and keeping my vow “until death,” people pointed out the Christian walk I had walked by loving and standing by my husband for all those years when he wasn’t loving me back. I stood by him until such time that I realized he was demoralizing me and trying to take away my value as a human being.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)
This is how I felt when I finally divorced my husband. Many have said how proud they are of me, which was nearly impossible for me to believe and understand at first. Where I saw worldly failure, others saw God’s servant trying to live for Him. That’s one of the great things that has come out of this thanks to our Awesome God. While I was afraid of what my divorce would do to my witnessing to the small group of people I interact with, God used this for His glory to highlight how off course life can go when He is not the center of everything. I was living my life the best I knew how, and God found a way to make me a witness for Him to others. God often chooses the most unlikely of people and circumstances to do His work in this world, and I am thankful that God saw my experience as a way to speak to others. I realize now more than ever just how many people are watching us and see what happens in our lives, and how important it is to ensure we are living everyday as God would have us live! We never know who we might be witnessing to everyday by just living our lives!