garychester.org 7/09/09
A most profound sense of pain came during a long physical separation from my son and daughter when they were small. After a divorce, I wound up several hundred miles from them. This was during a formative time in their lives when they needed an involved dad on the scene, not a father who only was able to be with them four or five times a year.
Circumstances were beyond my control, at that time, which would enable me to be physically located near them. (I did make it a habit to call them and write to them every week.) The pain of separation drove me literally to my knees daily to pray for them. I pleaded with God to take care of them and to protect them.
God answered my pleas. My two kids, now adults, are leading decent, productive lives and have good marriages. I'm convinced this has occurred because of two things: my bombarding the heavens with loud pleas and cries for them during my separation and following God's instructions in Ephesian 4:2 & Romans12:18, to strive for a good, civil relationship with their Mom, whatever it took on my part. (I believe our mutually respectful relationship, which my ex also strived for, was instrumental to their well-being today.)
All the while, throughout the pain of separation, God was purifying my faith. And through it all, He was also proving His great love to me.
That's the way God works - allowing pain to be a benefit and friend by it driving us closer to Him.
Read my 7/09/09 menwhowin.com newsletter about how everything learned is from pain while everything else is just information.
www.menwhowin.com - Among other ministries, helping men control anger and kick porn
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