On Monday night, my husband and I sat across from two people who once-upon-a-time were in love. We had asked to meet them at a restaurant to discuss how we could help the two of them move forward ~ even though their version of moving forward is via divorce court.
Things have become too difficult and too complicated and too stressful and too angry for them to reconcile. My heart was broken as I watched the hurt across the table and I am not, for one minute, minimizing their struggle or their individual viewpoints. Even though W and I accepted the inevitable and weren’t there to necessarily change their minds, we did plea with them to slow down and take a breath before taking the next step.
Miracles do happen and God does intervene and save marriages…but, sometimes, He allows that marriage to dissolve. It’s not for me to even try to figure out why but I am certain beyond any doubt that He has a plan.
So our plan with this couple was to coax them, at the very least, to be respectful of the other person during this painful process. Far easier said than done, I know. The emotions are so fragile right now you can nearly see them visibly ~ raw and exposed.
This is a tough road. I’m praying for all of those who are going through it or even thinking of going through it. If you know someone who is hurting right now, and chances are that you do, join me in praying for peace in their hearts because there is so much that is not peaceful in their lives. I read a quote a long time ago and found it again this morning on the internet. It resonated with me because as someone who has suffered a broken heart (and who among us has not!), I thought the gravity of the statement must be profoundly accurate.
“Divorce is the psychological equivalent of a triple coronary by-pass. After such a monumental assault on the heart, it takes years to amend all the habits and attitudes that led up to it.” -Mary Kay Blakely
Let’s not kid ourselves. Marriage is tough. Some days are remarkably easy and others are remarkably difficult. Consider this quote:
“Love is a feeling, marriage is a contract, and relationships are work.”
It could happen to any one of us. Pray against it happening to you and pray hard for those who are walking that path ~ the more than one MILLION American households that will split this year. I can think of little that breaks my heart more….
how could all of us not feel that way?