Create Your Account and begin asking questions today, for free! Or you can login if you already have an account.
I think I'm jealous of the Lord's place in my wife's life, I'm not even sure that she loves me anymore, as she seems to be giving all of her emotional energy to God. Do I just need to accept this,?
Extra Question Details:
Or do I have a right to ask that some of her heart also be left for me? I'm feeling abandoned, and even though I know I shouldn't be jealous of her relationship with God, I think I am.
My wife has recently been spending an inordinate amount of time at the church, and most specifically with one leader of the church. She says that she is seeking guidance, and that she has recently realized that she needs to put the Lord before even me in her life. She has also recently decided that she isn't sure that she can be in a relationship with someone whose faith isn't as strong as her own.
I'm not even sure what that means, let alone what I should do about it, or even if I should be doing anything about it.
Bible Answers to this Question
Below are Biblically Researched Bible Answers
Community Answers
She is correct about putting God before you as this is the case for anyone and anything. She should not judge your faith in anyway thats God's place.
Part of her commitment to God is being Committed to you too. That's what marriage is. Praying for you, and come back if you need more help.
I have come to understand that, but I guess what I'm really asking is where is the line drawn between her commitment to God and her neglect of me and our family?
All, and I do mean ALL of her free time for weeks now has been spent on the Lord, to the extent of myself and the children beginning to feel neglected. Things such as: she hasn't been to the grocery in weeks, for us, and yet she has been on several 3 to 4 hour long trips to the stores on supply runs for the food bank. We rarely get dinner anymore, except as an afterthought, and yet she is able to find the time to bake things to take to a church service or Bible study.
How much of her focus should be on God, and when is it too much?
As a Christian, you should speak with your wife and try to understand things from her.
Your wife needs to acknowledge that she has made a decision to get married and it's her duty, as a wife, to support her family and be there for them. That is service for God.
Helping in the church and serving God in ministries is great but it's very important that we don't neglect our loved ones.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, says if he had all these talents and gifts and he took part in all ministries but he didn't have love then it's all useless. I believe that you should come to your wife and with all love explain to her how you feel. Tell her that you truly are encouraged by her zeal for Christ but she also has to remember the commitment she made to you.
Paul also wished that all men and women remain single since a single person is able to serve God more whereas a married person needs to look after their family, precisely their partner. Why? Because it is only right for a wife to look after her family and it is only right for a man to provide for his family.
It is a wonderful thing to serve the Lord in the church and to be part of ministries wherever possible, but if you neglect your loved ones and don't submit and love your husband as God has purposed ever since the beginning then what are we really doing?
David realized and said, "For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." Ps 51:16-17.
God isn't interested in just mere ministries and empty service to fill our time. God wants a pure and genuine heart that loves Him. That means much more to Him then our "good works" which are like filthy rags as Isaiah mentions.
Many pastors, ministers and others make the mistake of always putting ministry over their family to the point where family doesn't matter or gets neglected.
Some pastors fail as fathers and husbands and at the end of things, wish they had made their family a priority. There's still time for you guys.
You need to address the issue with her and let her know how you and your family feels.
I'm not saying she's wrong, or you're wrong, or anything like that. This is a battle between you and your wife, this is a battle for you and your wife to get through together as one.
This is also a good time to get closer to God yourself. Cause Jesus really loves you and wants to have a closer relationship with you.
I'm glad to hear how devoted she is to the church... but family is important and the Bible stresses that family be a priority. So you should speak to her about it and maybe look to some kind of Christian or pastoral counseling to help. Also, try getting more involved with what she's doing too. She doesn't have to be the only one doing stuff at the church. ;)
You could pray together about it. Also, maybe if you seek God with her, you will come to a greater understanding of what's going on with her and how it can apply to your family in positive ways.
I went through the same thing a few months ago with my husband. I seriously considered divorcing him since I felt we were from different worlds. It seemed as though now we had absolutely nothing in common. We were walking on two different paths.
God did deal with me and let me know that I needed to stop running ahead and wait for my husband. Although we still don't see things eye to eye, and we are not on the same page, I am trusting God to help him see things the way I do.
I now try to spend more time with him and try to include him in on everything I do. It's still hard because although I love my husband, he is no longer my first love. The Lord has taken that place.
God will deal with her as well for it is not God's intentions to cause us hurt or have our unions with our spouse break up. Try going with her to church and asking her about her interests in church and God. Once she sees you are willing to open your heart a bit more, she will see that she needs you in her life as well.
I tell you this, she will never leave the Lord, for once you find the perfect love, you don't ever want to let go. I suggest you learn to share her with God and join her in her walk with God, you might be surprised and fall more in love with the Lord than she is. Good luck and God bless.