Life After Divorce Support Group
This community is dedicated to starting over after a divorce. With the marriage over, how do individuals begin a new chapter in their lives and what hurdles do they face? Divorce is often one of the most traumatic periods in a person's life. Studies show it is the second-most stressful event in life, after the death of a spouse.
I went to two different divorce support groups and read LOTS of book when i was going through my divorce. The biggest thing I learned is this:
DIVORCE can be the biggest LESSON in our lives if we learn from it!
You cannot go back. Life is not a car and does not have a reverse gear. You can only go forward taking your lessons with you.
Time does heal a lot...
You have a choice. You can choose to stay where you are now and relive the past while beating the crap out of yourself, or you can take steps to get some counseling and move on to a healing path.
Do you think your god wants you to stay and wallow? You said god forgave you. Do you think god wants you to not forgive yourself? Do you think it makes god happy to see you choose to suffer?
You came here and posted about how divorce is wrong and people should stay married. Why not put your beliefs into action?
God put you here on this earth for a reason. Maybe it's to help people save their marriages. Why not work on your own healing? (and yeah, it takes a lot of work that includes not only self introspection but also self forgiveness) Then go back to school or get some other type of training so you can use your experience to help others.
Or you can choose to stay in your self-imposed hell and spend the rest of your days being miserable. I'm sorry, I know that probably sounds harsh, and I don't mean to discount your pain because I know it's real. But, there comes a time when we all need something to help shake us out of the mire.
You lost a lot. You need to grieve. You need to forgive yourself and your wife. That's a process. It doesn't happen over night. And it's not a linear process. The only way to get to the other side of the pain is to go thru it. And the only way to go thru it is one small step at a time.
There are a couple of programs that you might be interested in that could help you begin to move past your pain. One is www.divorcecare.com. It is Bible based, but nondenominational. The other one is www.rebuilding.org. It's often hosted by churches and has clergy &/or various types of therapists as guest speakers.
Things will get better when you decide to take action. But I warn you, healing isn't for sissies. It sucks. But it is temporary. Not healing is permanent. The choice is yours & I truly hope you choose to heal and take your beliefs and convictions and put them to good use to help others. And in helping others, we also help ourselves.
"I am condemned to live out the rest of my days lonely, aching for love and stricken with grief." This is NOT what God wants for you!
Condemnation is not God's doing; it is your own choice and you can chose not to condemn yourself through God's love and forgiveness!
God had forgiven you - you need to forgive yourself!! Your wife was ABUSIVE! Calling you worthless is abuse!
I urge you to get therapy and work toward forgiving yourself. If not for yourself, do it for your daughter. Your state is keeping you from her an that is hurtful to her. It is difficult for a child to see a parent wallowing in depression and self-flagalating. She cannot understand and will blame herself and feel rejected and abandoned by you. She does not deserve to shoulder that burden and I am sure you would not want to do that your child!