I woke up at 9AM and spent a lot of time in prayer. I felt I had grieved the Spirit somehow, that I should repent. So I asked Him to show me, and quickly realized the cause. Before I went to bed, all my thoughts were about him. I spent nearly 2–3 hours fantasizing how I wished it were, and how it could possibly be if we were to reconcile. And the Spirit reminded me I’m supposed to surrender him with open hands and say goodbye, not think of things that would bind me to him even more.
I hate the feeling of having grieved the Spirit, so I confessed, and reminded myself my study on repentance doesn’t just apply to my husband. It applies to me as well. Repentance is to turn around. So I have to quickly redirect myself when my thoughts go down the wrong path. Take every thought captive, right?
I studied Proverbs 3. It’s a passage I memorized as a kid, and have read numerous times. And yet today, I had a revelation about every verse. It took me over an hour to just get through that one chapter. And I loved every minute of it, seeing how God is weaving the Word He’s been planting in me into something I can share.
I then tackled the discovery documents I have to turn in. I’ve been putting it off, thinking it would cause such pain. But going through social media and our text conversations was the real anguish. I hid nothing, and going through all my history reminds me of that.
I was completely open, honest, trusting, and vulnerable. Bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. I always thought the best of him. Reading our messages, I can see why, too. It really seemed like we were BFFs, and my love for him is so evident in our messages. There are so many times where I would tell him to do what’s best for him, whatever would help him be less stressed, and that I would hold down the fort with the kids. All these plans for the future… and that “one day” he always promised will never come, will it.
So I download in joy, jamming to Air1’s 10,000 worship songs in a row. I have this odd joy inside, and a smile on my face, despite the sadness. How can sadness and joy coexist? I don’t know, but they do. Joy is winning, though 🙂
One of the divorce devotionals said to think of each and every sin that was committed against you… and forgive each one. At first, I thought that’s never happening! It’s already painful enough. And yet, I have found myself doing that very thing three times now. What sins I discover, I forgive in that same moment. And I don’t want to fish them back from the sea of forgetfulness, resurrected to plant unforgiveness and bitterness in me.
And I wonder how much more I will find when I get the rest of his documents. And I ask God to help me when I uncover even more. I choose to forgive. I’m deciding right now. I’ve forgiven everything I know so far. And I will forgive whatever else I uncover.
I don’t know if I will ever know every sin. But God does. And that’s enough. One day, my husband will have his moment of complete surrender to God. And just as the Spirit convicted me this morning, He will elucidate to my husband each and every thought/action that has grieved Him. And His kindness will lead my husband to repentance.
Btw I consider it significant progress that I can listen to songs we led in worship 100s of times… and not cry or feel a pang in my heart. I can actually just appreciate the song… and worship.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) — We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV) — Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.