Once God had me where he wanted me, things began to fall into place. As long as I was working on my own agenda, I wasn’t going to receive all of the help that was available. When I surrendered my will to His and gave up control, it was like a channel of communication was opened that hadn’t been available before.
One of the things I struggled with was whether God really got involved in these types of situations. I understand the concept of a free will, and I know that God will not override a person’s freedom to choose, even when someone is praying for them to make “the right choice.” I’ve been divorced before, so I know the helplessness of praying that the other person will change and having nothing happen.
I knew that the only things I could really do in the physical realm were to change myself as much as possible, get as close to God as I could, and try to demonstrate, as much as the opportunity presented itself, that my love for my wife was true and that things really were different. I hoped that God could and would influence her to come back to me, but I had no assurance that my prayers would be answered. Fortunately, God began to give me signs that He was at work.
One day, while I was reading my Bible, I came across a verse that rocked my world and energized my prayer life in regards to my marriage being saved. It was in the story where Abraham has sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. There is a part where the servant prays, “Let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.” God confirms and answers that prayer and Rebekah becomes the wife of Isaac. I had never realized it until that moment, but now I had scriptural proof that God does choose people to be together in marriage. I knew that my wife was the one God had chosen for me, and now I had a verse to stand on while I prayed.
I also gained an unexpected prayer partner. My friend Joe met a couple while out walking near his house and they got to talking. It turned out this guy, Kevin, and his wife have an amazing testimony of restoration in their own marriage. They also have a heart to help other people who are going through troubles. Joe gave me Kevin’s number and we talked a few times over the phone. One conversation in particular was nothing short of a miracle. I honestly don’t remember today what he told me, but when I got off the phone, I knew what to do. I also knew he was praying for us and I was strengthened and encouraged by his friendship, advice, and support.
Probably the most powerful thing any of my friends said to me came from Joe. I had been struggling with whether there was any hope and wondering if my wife wouldn’t just be better off with someone else. I figured that I hadn’t been able to love her like she needed and that I may never be able to. I was telling Joe all this one day on the phone and he said to me, “You are exactly what she needs.”
When he said those words, they went straight to my heart and soul. Somehow I knew he was right, as if God Himself was speaking through him. They lit a fire in me, and gave me the confidence to not only not give up, but to go after her like I never had before. I didn’t know it at the time, and had no outward confirmation, but we were in the last stages of our separation. It wouldn’t be easy, but we didn’t have to long to go before everything turned around.
The Restoration Tour 