Getting Naked Later by Kate Hurley

Author:Kate Hurley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736978347
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Published: 2020-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

11

What Divorced People Wish Everybody Knew

My dear friend Roger was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer when he was 18 years old. He suffered through the ordeal three separate times. Through a miraculous turn of events that included the first tumor disappearing after prayer, his friends giving him his own personal prom in his hospital room, his going to Africa despite doctors saying he needed to stay home to get treatment, surviving a horrific car accident, and many more incredible details, he doesn’t have cancer any more. He does, however, have a long scar that goes down the length of his neck.

Before I knew Roger’s story, that scar looked kind of scary to me. I wondered if he got it in a bar fight or from being mauled by a bear (which, in fact, is what he told me before he shared with me the real details). I didn’t know about God’s hand in that story because I assumed he did something brave or crazy on his own.

Roger eventually took several hours to tell me his story of healing, and that scar has become one of the most beautiful parts of him to me. It’s such an indication of God’s mind-blowing faithfulness in his life. That scar is beautiful because it tells his story. It’s a mark of God’s unfathomable love, and it’s also a mark of Roger’s strength through his trial and his trust in the goodness of God.

Kisses may be wonderful, but they only last for a moment. Scars are painful, but these marks of your strength overcoming wounds last a lifetime.

I was reminded of Roger’s scar last night after talking to a friend who is going through a difficult divorce. As he told me his story, I realized he has a scar just as prominent as Roger’s that people see when they look at him. A scar named divorce. Without knowing his story, you might think it was ugly. You might think he has it because he is a bad person. But maybe, just like Roger, if you knew his story, you might see that scar differently.

Fred Rogers, the late host of the PBS children’s program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, carried a piece of paper with him everywhere that said, “Frankly, there isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story.”1

If you have been divorced, like my friend, you have scars—and they are difficult to cover up. Divorce is so personal and so public. Many of the rest of us have scars underneath our clothes, scars other people can’t see. We can hide them well. But divorced people are forced to show their scars to the world.

If you have been through a divorce, I am here to honor you and the scar you bear. Like my friend’s scar, it marks a painful journey you walked through and survived. Now, please don’t misinterpret this—I’m not saying divorce is a good thing. Covenant is important, and we see that truth throughout the Bible. But we can never judge someone who has been through a tragedy like this.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.