“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Divorce. A word I never thought I would hear, much less a path I would have to walk.
Divorce brings with it many forms of grief. Some hard to name and define. There are mini-losses or “small injuries” on top of the large, obvious loss of a failed marriage. You lose shared friends, another set of family, familiar activities, special dates, anniversaries, and often a church community. Then, there are the harder griefs to name–like losing part of your identity, realizing that your future will look different than you once imagined, or the disillusionment that bad things like this can happen–and they can happen to you.
What also rattled me was losing the illusion of control I thought I had. A plus B must equal C, right? If I do the “right things” then I should have a predictable outcome. But the Lord really challenged my theology at a street level. Do I believe that God is good even when my circumstances aren’t?
Even in the midst of such heartache, if you are a believer, you know that we serve a God who can empathize. Isaiah says that Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering” (Isaiah 53:3). We have a “Father of mercy and a God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). We can take great comfort in knowing that even though our world is shaking, “He is the stability of our times” (Isaiah 33:6). Even when we can’t see the path forward and our hearts are without strength, He can lead us to a place with a higher view (Psalm 61:2) and reveal the mercies of his (sometimes) uncomfortable graces.
It’s in the crucible that we all experience growth and the removal of the dross that dims the shiny gold underneath. The Lord never changes, even when our circumstances do. You can take heart that if you know Him, your identity does not change with worldly griefs. “He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow” (Hebrews 13:8). His redemption and love for His children do not change. “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6). He is the ultimate healer and binder of all wounds (Psalm 147:3).
Contributed by: Holly Beadle
Reflection:
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Scripture provides for us in different ways at different times. Of the verses in today’s devotional, which one connects most deeply with you? Why? How does it speak to your current circumstances?
- Reflecting on the multifaceted nature of grief we’ve discussed throughout this devotional, how does understanding God’s unchanging nature offer you hope and healing amid the ever-changing landscape of your grief journey?