“Healing Through Grief: Lessons from Job for Divorced Moms”
When divorce shatters your world, it can feel like everything familiar is crumbling away. It’s not just the end of a relationship—it’s grieving the future you thought you’d have, the identity you built, and the life you carefully planned. In these moments, I’m reminded of Peter Scazzero’s powerful words in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: “Let the old birth the new. Good grieving is not just letting go, but also letting it bless us.”
This truth echoes deeply in Job’s story in the Bible. When everything was stripped away—his wealth, his children, his health—Job faced grief that seemed unbearable. Yet his journey teaches us that loss, while devastating, can become a doorway to transformation when we allow God to guide us through the process.
The Sacred Path of Good Grieving: Learning from Job
1. Honor Your Pain
Like Job, who cried out to God in raw anguish, healing begins when we acknowledge our emotions. Pushing away the pain only delays our healing. As Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Give yourself permission to feel deeply—your tears are sacred to God.
2. Embrace the Sacred Pause
After divorce, we often find ourselves in an unsettling “in-between” season—where the old life has ended but the new hasn’t yet taken shape. This waiting period, though uncomfortable, is holy ground. It’s where God does His deepest work in us. “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).
3. Find Freedom in Limits
Divorce forces us to face our limitations—emotional, financial, and relational. Job discovered that accepting these limits wasn’t admitting defeat; it was surrendering to grace. “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6). When we acknowledge where our strength ends, we make space for God’s power to begin.
4. Walk the Path of Humility
Through his suffering, Job gained profound wisdom about God’s sovereignty. True humility isn’t self-deprecation—it’s trusting God’s wisdom above our own. “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). This humble trust allows us to see our story through new eyes.
5. Welcome the New Birth
Remember Job’s restoration? God didn’t simply replace what was lost—He opened an entirely new chapter. Your divorce is a closing door, but it’s not the end of your story. As Isaiah 43:19 declares, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Your Identity Is Greater Than Your Story
Divorce is a chapter in your life, not your identity. In my course “Divorce Is Not My Name,” we walk this healing journey together through the A.T.O.M. Principle:
- Acknowledge & Assess: Bravely face your emotions and challenges
- Turn Inward & Turn Upward: Find strength in God’s presence
- Own Your Story: Rewrite your narrative with God’s truth
- Move Forward: Step into joy, purpose, and confidence
A’s Love Actions: A Heart-to-Heart Note
Beloved, wherever you are in this journey, know that you’re not alone. Take a moment to reflect.
- Are you giving yourself permission to grieve fully?
- How might God be inviting you to trust Him in this “in-between” season?
Let this truth settle in your heart: “Lord, I trust You to bring beauty from my pain. Teach me to grieve well and step into the new life You have for me.”
Remember, your story isn’t over—it’s just beginning a new chapter.
