Psalm 27:10 says, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD cares for me.”
With the divorce rate at 50% even in “Christian” homes, it’s no surprise that the scars of abandonment go deep. It is usually the women and children who are thrown into poverty because of it. Remarriage tends to complicate an already difficult situation. Too often the kids wind up feeling abandoned by both parents.
My earliest childhood memories remind me that divorce is not always the worst thing. I was around 5 or 6 years old when I watched my parents yelling at each other face to face in front of my open bedroom door. I then witnessed as my dad took out his gun, pointed it to his stomach, and pull the trigger. The loud, jolting BANG of the gun and the shocked look on my mom’s face confirmed to me that something really bad just happened. A perfectly round hole was burned through my dad’s yellow shirt to the top layers of his skin. No bullet meant no dead dad, but he clearly already knew that before pulling the trigger.
As anyone might guess, from the time I was little to the time into adulthood, I’ve been no stranger to violence in the home and traumatic events. Because of this, from an early age, I was well aware of spiritual warfare. It was continually right in front of my eyes. Admittedly, God has allowed me to go through so much more than I could ever have wanted or imagined. Although I am no martyr and my life has never literally been on the line because I am a Christian, the evil plans of the enemy and those the enemy has used have inflicted great pain on me in my lifetime. Yet even when my father and mother did not protect me or care for me, God did. Furthermore, His plans for me are good… To prosper me, to give me hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) Sometimes, that takes a long time to feel or see. Yet my life is perfect proof of God’s love, care, provision, kindness, grace and mercy. It is because He gives me all these that I am able to splash it on others… even the ones who have caused me the most grief. (Some splashes are bigger than others!) Psalm 37 (the entire chapter) has been a great encouragement to me. I like that it not only reminds me that God sees all, and I can be sure God will deal with the wicked, but it also gives me something to do while I’m waiting. My job, while I live my life, is to trust in the Lord and do good. Yes, it is a struggle at times. Starting the day in God’s Word and prayer is the best way to set myself up for success in this. Yes, there are days where I am less successful in this… but there are days where I am more successful in it as well.