Permit Even This

My Top 3

(This article was originally published on 25AUG)

Hi, bj,

I have been reading your web page as I want to understand a Christian man\’s perspective on divorced and ministry. I was married for 35 years and have been divorced for 2 years. I know your web site is devoted to men, this is what I believe the Lord gave to me, a Christian woman. This truth is for both genders. I, too, was questioning if I could ever be used by the Lord after I was divorced. I have been longing for the Lord to open a door of ministry to me. I want to do something, anything for Him.

I have been a Christian since the age of 5, my dad was a minister. I have always loved the Lord. When my ex said he never loved me even the day he married me, and wanted to move out to work on the marriage, I knew I needed God like I had never needed Him. I turned totally to Him and sought Him with every thing that I had—nothing was reserved. Of course, you know the rest of the story—He came to me in a way that I would have never known had I not gone through the pain of divorce. He took the pain and used it for my good and has given me an opportunity to minister healing to others. Here\’s one example of what the Lord showed me concerning ministry after divorce.

I have always wanted to go to Israel, and decided it was time to start living my dreams—live like I am dying. I went in April 2008. Every day I was there, the Lord revealed new truth to me. It was a \divine appointment\ in my life. He invited me and I am glad I responded to His invitation.

When we were in the garden in Jerusalem, my pastor\’s wife began to share how God makes people fit for service. When Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the High Priest\’s right ear that was very symbolic. (Luke 22:50) She said that the right ear was used for purification rights and if his ear was missing, he could not be a priest—he had become defective, blemished. (Exodus 29:20) Jesus immediately restored his ear. He made him fit again for service.

This is a great part the Lord showed me this morning. Before Jesus healed the servant\’s ear, He said to Peter, \Permit even this.\ According to the dictionary, a permit is a license or warrant to do something not forbidden by law. Jesus said to allow His capture, His death, as it was part of a plan, designed for a greater purpose. What a powerful picture of the purposes of God for our lives.

When we go through the pain of divorce, we may feel like we have become defective, blemished—our heart and ear may be missing. We may feel that we are no longer worthy of the calling the Lord has placed on our lives. This is not true. If we \permit\ God to have His way in our lives, He can heal our hearts and make us whole again. He does this through His healing touch. He has a greater purpose for our lives. The pain of divorce has been used for a greater purpose in my life.

We have what people need to see: an example of God\’s grace and direction through one of the hardest pains in life—divorce. Even though none of us would have chosen this ministry, no one else can minister to divorced people like we can. No one else could ever \understand\ this pain no matter how hard they tried. Then the Lord develops us to be able to help people who have been hurt in different ways. Our losses have great value to the Lord.

We can take the pain of divorce (the seed), place it in the ground (the dirt the Lord brushes off us), permit the seed to die (our earthly dreams and desires), water it (our tears), dig around it and keep it free of weeds (resist earthly thinking), fertilize it (apply the Word to our hearts on a daily basis), and God will bring the 100 fold increase (restore the years that the locust hath eaten). (Luke

For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11

Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations. Isaiah 60:15

Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. Isaiah 58:12

May God bless you abundantly,

A blessed sister in Christ