Hope After Divorce: Trusting God Through the Pain a 5-Day Plan by Pamela ManningSample

From Panic to Praise

You are in the grips of a divorce, and you are shocked. As you stumble towards an unknown future, the door of your past violently shuts behind you--SLAM! Your life as you knew it has ended, and you are forced to confront life with a million emotions attacking you all at once. Like an abandoned animal, you are forced to step into the unfamiliar without shelter.

Divorce is a painful experience packed with emotions that often consume our lives. Whether the divorce happened suddenly or after years of trying to save a marriage, every survivor is attacked with common emotions, including shock, bitterness, sadness, hopelessness, and fear. Our emotions are powerful enough to overwhelm us, and before we can take a breath, panic sets in.

During my divorce, fear became my most aggressive emotion. If I was not careful, my entire day would be filled with anxious thoughts such as the:

Fear of not being good enough

Fear of financial ruin

Fear of being ridiculed

Fear of the future

In its most aggressive state, fear quickly morphed into panic. My emotions were so intense that I believed I would never recover from the pain. As I staggered through each day in a zombie-like state, God began whispering Bible verses that redirected me to some important truths.

The first was the promise that Jesus gave His disciples before the crucifixion, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). Like the disciples who were filled with doubt and fear, Jesus’ promise brought comfort during my moments of panic. His promise reassured me that I am not abandoned and I am never alone.

Another truth challenged me to praise the Lord always. In Psalm 34:1, King David testified that he would “constantly speak His praises.” David knew the value of continually praising the Lord; he also understood that praise generates God’s healing power.

When we praise God, fear and panic subside. We receive comfort and strength to endure emotional pain while He guards our minds and delivers us from all anxieties. Praising the Lord is vital to surviving a divorce.

Encouragement:

No matter the emotion that attacks you, cry out praises to the Father. Praise Him for His love; praise Him for His goodness. Your emotional pain will lift, you will experience God’s comfort, and your heart will move from panic to praise.