One of the worst things to happen in a relationship is when it comes to an end.   Either that or when your wife ask you to go along to go to shopping for clothes.  Not sure which one is worse.  In one case you want to cry yourself to sleep.  In the other case you want to stab yourself with forks.

Now this devotional most commonly will refer to a romantic relationship that ends, but can apply to all sorts of other situations where a relationship ends or drastically changes for the worse. There’s a huge amount of things you have to deal with emotionally – but we always have to remember that dealing with your emotions starts with dealing with it spiritually.  How can you come to grips emotionally when you don’t know why it happened? There are three things to understand.

The first thing you have to understand is that God is sovereign. He is in control.  He allowed it to happen for a reason.  And that reason is good.

RO 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

You won’t truly know the reasons why it happened till maybe years down the road, maybe never.  But that promise is still there.  And you’d think that the God who created this universe can do something as simple as make a break up, divorce, or whatever, turn out for good.

Christ went through torture, humiliation, crucifixion and death.  I’m pretty sure He understands going through something bad for a reason that is good.  I’ve been through a lot of terrible things in life, including being forced into going into a Banana Republic, but I don’t recall being crucified and dying.

The second thing is that we also have to understand that a relationship with a person is not what brings us ultimate happiness.

True happiness obviously comes from our relationship with God.  He created our souls to find its complete happiness and peace in a relationship with Him.  It’s in our design. The happiness we find in a human relationship should be added blessings to the 100% happiness and peace that we should be already finding in God.

The third thing is that God is always growing us, including through a breakup.

Is God trying to grow your trust in him?  Your patience?  Your understanding of him?  Your understanding of yourself?  How will this make you a stronger person now and down the road?

So what do we do?

All three things we need to know (God is sovereign, the relationship with God is what makes us happy, and that God is always growing us) can only come when… We humble ourselves and submit to him – to his wisdom, to his sovereignty and to his love. I know things suck when a relationship ends, however there’s another relationship that is greater that you still have.  Your relationship with the one who created you and was crucified for you.

Hebrews 13:5  “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Take Time To Pray: Ask God to help you to analyze yourself for areas of your life you need to work on so that your relationships with other and Him will improve. Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness.