April 24, 2016

The Shepherd's Corner

One of the silent—and often lingering—pains of divorce is anger.  We are angry not only because we were hurt, but also because we felt cheated.  All the energy, all the trust, all the time, and all the love were for nothing.  Now we have to start all over again but with so much less—less energy, less trust, less time, and less love.  The stake is high and the anger is deep.
“Anger is the fluid that love bleeds when you cut it,” quipped C. S. Lewis.  Tthis creative definition explains why anger becomes one of the pains of divorce.  You see, we enter into marriage in love; we work on marriage though love; so how can we exit marriage without love?  Love is still there but it’s been cut and it is bleeding . . . anger.

So, what do we do when someone, whom we shared our bed with, cut our love?  For a time being we will have to bleed—there is nothing we can do to stop it.  Let the blood or the anger flow; acknowledge all the loss we suffered; we need not rationalize or spiritualize it.  A loss is a loss.

Next we must take a close look at within.  See how we have become as a result of our love’s being cut.  Perhaps we may have less respect toward men—or women; we may have become suspicious of other’s motive; or we may have become impatient.  Whatever it is we have to see it as another loss—a loss of what is good.

Lastly we ought to give thanks to God—sometimes for getting us out of this terrible relationship, but always for not defining us by this tragedy.  We give thanks for the reassurance He has given us in Psalm 37:24, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”

Pastor Paul

More Shepherd's Corner Articles

The Shepherd's Corner - July 21, 2024
Recently I read a study about the relationship between gratitude and longevity that involved thousands of participants over a long period of time.  It showed that those who experienced gratitude tend to live longer than those who did not experience gratitude. Further, the study showed that thos...
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - November 9, 2025
Last week God called home a friend in ministry, Marojahan Sijabat. After ministry in Batu, Malang, he experienced acute abdominal pain; so, he was taken to a hospital in Malang, which subsequently sent him to a hospital in Surabaya.  The doctors found abdominal blockage but before they could pe...
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - June 7, 2020
THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER As some of you knew, one of the men that I admire is John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach that led UCLA Bruins to 10 national championships during the 1960s-1970s. This month marks the tenth anniversary of his passing. His leadership and wisdom have reverberated far be...
Read More