You would be amazed to see how God takes circumstances, even the "unsavory" ones, and turns them around for His glory!
I'll give you the instance of my husband's ex-wife. She and my husband married after she became pregnant. After a tumultuous three years, her infidelity caused her to lose her marriage, as well as custody of her children.
Now, before you get the idea that my husband was a weakling in those days, hear me out...He left her after he caught her in adultery for the fourth or fifth time. Forgiveness, practiced over and over, until he realized that he had his own babies in a situation which would get nastier over time. He was also risking his own health in sleeping with a woman who was continually unfaithful.
He left with his babies.
Fast-forward three years. As his babies grow, the newly-single dad spent those years living, praying, and showing pictures of their mom to them so they would know her if they saw her. His ex calls him out of the blue, after three years of being missing...She's in trouble. She moved in with a man, became pregnant, and the man beat her until she lost the child. She begged her ex-husband to help her.
He went to the house, helped her pack, and brought her to a safe place. He asked her to return to him. She refused point-blank.
Fast-forward another three years. She finally finds a man who loves her, and marries him. She bears another child. Her ex-husband resigns himself to the fact that the mother of his children is never coming back. He ends up remarrying MaraPetra.
Where is God in this tale of adultery, violence, abuse and pain? God is where He always is...In the background, understanding that this evil situation is part of a larger picture of His making.
Was the marriage of God? Hmmm...Both professed to be devout Roman Catholic at the time, but only one held the marriage vows sacred. A "fair weather Christian", if you will.
Was it God's will that the marriage dissolve? Who knows? We can be judged by men till the cows come home, but ultimately we answer to our Heavenly Father...Not men. But the alternate question is, was it God's will that those two beautiful children be raised in a household where Momma had moral issues? (In the same way, you can ask yourself if it's God's will that one of His creations be treated like garbage. The answer is, "Of course not!" God wishes us to have life more abundant, not life more painful.)
Now, let me tell you who this woman is today. She's still married to her second husband...A very faithful woman, might I add. She co-parents beautifully, working with us in a way that is not bitter, or hateful, or painful for her kids. She was saved earlier this year
, and she, myself, my husband and her/his/my kids attend the same church. She serves in the church.
Where is God's will in all this? For starters, I wouldn't have been given the gift of the truly wonderful man I call my husband. I wouldn't have the love of two children whom I didn't bear into life, nor would I love them so maddeningly in return. I wouldn't have a wonderful friendship with my kids' mother (and yes, I love her to death! She's like a sister to me.). My kids wouldn't be functional, and missing many of the social/emotional issues that most children of divorce have.
All of these terrible situations culminated in a beautiful sequence...A woman who had sinned terribly found out that Jesus could, indeed, forgive even HER!
Pray for God's will, WrightWife. Focus not only on what you "feel" you should be doing, but instead focus on listening for that"small, still" voice in which God speaks.
Ultimately, we don't know where God is taking us in our spiritual journey. You don't know where God is taking your husband, either. But rest assured, no matter which way you are led to go, that God is in complete control. He knows your pain, your sorrows, you tears and struggles.
And know that, even if you don't see His hand in things right now...When you look back, you'll be amazed to see His fingerprints over every aspect of the situation.
