Divorce rates are increasing around the world, and relationship experts warn the pandemic-induced break-up curve may not have peaked yet. But there is HOPE!

You may feel rejected, angry, hurt, or that life is out of control. When the Apostle Paul thought all was lost, here's how he responded: "We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us .... It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!

To heal, you must not rely on the power of you, but the power of God! Peter says "Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God" [1 Peter 1].

Don't deny your difficulty feelings. See them. Accept them. But you don't have to react to them. Jesus reminds you to not run from the suffering. He says to pick up your cross and follow.

Think about resources to help you regulate your overwhelming emotions. Hate. Revenge. Despair. These won't help you. Find healthy responses to stress and dark emotion, like prayer, exercise, relationships. You must be proactive in self-care.

Your children have their own journey. Make time for them. Listen to understand what they are feeling. Don't bad mouth your spouse to them. Remember, your ex is still their parent. Although you couldn't make your marriage work, you must work together to coparent - to the best of your ability.

Avoid the rebound relationships. You might be feeling fragile, unloveable, and looking for someone else to fill that void. God says you are lovable. Learn to love yourself. Let God's love fill you up.

There is hope and recovery. Be compassionate with your self. You won't be at your best. And be compassionate with others. If you are getting too down, check your focus. You may be focusing exclusively at what is wrong. See the good. Paul reminds you, "Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse" [Phil 4].

You can heal. Don't give up. One step at a time.