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Faith, Trust and Courage

The divorce certificate arrived on a Thursday. I knew what it was before I opened it. Inside was a formal letter declaring the release from my matrimonial commitment, stamped with an official seal and signed by a person I had never met. Somehow the release did not feel like freedom – it felt suffocating, paralyzing, and scary.

We don't know how we will respond when the unexpected happens. I had grand illusions that this piece of paper would be no big deal - that it was only the legal evidence of the loss of my marriage. But it was more than that - and as the emotions took over, I wondered if I would ever be able to heal from this pain.

It turns out the ingredients for healing are a cocktail of faith, trust, and courage.

Faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Trust is "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something." (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Courage is "the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

I stared long and hard at the certificate in my hands. That piece of paper offered me a choice. I could either:

a) focus on the pain and loss, spin in the messages of rejection and let the betrayal define me, or

b) focus on the future God was laying out for me and step forward in faith, trusting Him with the details.

I chose the second and hope you do too. But it's scary. Stepping into the new season, carrying the leftover pieces and injuries from our past is more than difficult; it can be downright terrifying.

It was for me - I was scared. But as I sat holding that paper, God drew my attention to Psalm 53:3-4, where David says, "But in the day that I'm afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart. What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes." (TPT)

Did you know the phrase "do not be afraid" is written 365 times in the Bible? This is our daily reminder from God to be people of faith. To be people who trust what He says when He promises that He has "good plans" (Jeremiah 29:11), that He will do "immeasurably more" (Ephesians 3:20), and that He has set us free (Galatians 5:1).

On many occasions, the Bible reminds us to be strong and courageous. One of my favourite stories is of Moses telling the Israelites to "be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

We need to be reminded of these truths - God goes with us. He is for us. We can trust Him to never leave us, walk away, or leave us to do this alone. These gifts are free for us, we just need to accept the offer and choose to keep our eyes and hearts focused on Him.

Healing Activity

Spend some time looking back over your past six months. What are some examples of your faith in God, your trust in Him, and your courage to persevere? If you can, write out all the times you can see where God was faithful and met you in this difficult season. These memories will help you remain firm in your faith during the incredibly challenging days.

Prayer

Your ways are higher than mine, Lord. I don’t see the whole picture, but I am struggling with letting go of the pain, the things that hurt me, and my self-rejection. Please help me to see myself through Your eyes. Thank you for loving me and for releasing me from the past. Could you help me to keep my eyes on you? In Jesus’ Name, Amen.