Unequally yoked?

[Greenie]

So i may not get everything out that i want to so bear with me. I was raised in a Christian house hold and was saved early in life. Then around 14 (im 29 now) i backslide and was there for for a long time (pretty much till a month or so ago) when i was 25 i met (my now wife) and we dated for a year then moved in together and then she got pregnant.  I asked her to marry me before we knew we had a baby coming so its not like i married her for that reason. I spent the next 3 years in a loving but sinful marriage. Like i mentioned earlier i rededicated my life back to God july 5 2015, i feel good about this but my wife is not really a believer.  One of my new problems is i feel like me coming back to Jesus is affecting our relationship because all's i want to do is read the bible or talk about god or look up stuff like in these forums or read books pertaining to Christianity. I know this takes away from family time or our relationship. Sometimes i feel bad about it and other days not so much. As i talked to people in my church a lot of them said "be still and know that i am the lord" (sorry i dont the book or verse that comes from) i feel like im trying to catch up in my faith. Others would say it takes baby steps, a slow process.  (Which i dont really fully understand..but hey if thats what it takes) i know god hasn't given up on me and i haven't given up him but i struggle so much sometimes. Theres a lot more to get off my chest so stick with me. Ok so back to my wife...now i dont ignore her i still care about her and i do really love her but were only 2 years into our marriage and it seems like all the romance is gone. I try to do things with her and not compromise my faith or Christianity but i find that hard to do as well seeing as how she is not a believer so what could i do? One day while sitting my car and reading the bible and praying asking god to show me a verse i needed about my marriage i came across 1cor. chapter 7 verses 12-17. It spoke to me but yet i keep looking for answers. Some will say im trying to hard or forcing her to believe. Its not like im preaching to her or forcing her to church but i also want to be the spiritual head of my house hold. I know i should love her but im even finding that hard to do. It seems like we no longer have common ground and everything i want to do she doesnt and vis versa... (on a side note is it possible to burn yourself out on the gospel by over doing it? ) i feel like im leaving some stuff out cause its been like this for a month now and ive talked to so many different people about this but i just want some fellow Christian believers advice, for i no longer have friends cause there all non believers....am i wrong with all this? What am i doing wrong? If you take time to respond to this or read it i thank you in advance 

[1x1is1]

Greenie, seems like your head is in the right place.  And thanks for trusting us with your dilemma.  Let's break it down.

• you were saved at 14 and still are saved, even with the backslide issue.......good
• you married out of love.....good
• You repented at 25 ........good
• you still love your wife, child and marriage at least enough to be concerned .....good

See?  All good.  Now you have a chance to introduce The Lord into your family.  You can achieve this by causing you wife to desire what you have.  Be happy.  No kidding, be happy.  You should be, you are in a unique position right now.  Win her over the same way you did earlier in your relationship.  Do you still open doors for her, pull out the chair for her in a restaurant? 

You are correct to understand that forcing your beliefs on her will not be effective.  Remain with her as long as she is willing to have you.  Be patient, Jesus will show Himself to her through you.  Then it will be her choice.  Bod Bless You.  Keep the Faith.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Amen to what Jeff and 1x said.

 

[FresnoJoe]

Welcome~!

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Greenie

      Welcome to Worthy ,very glad you have joined us,    Great topic,it seems to come up frequently as there are many who are in your situation ,you are most definitely not alone,,,,,,you will get a lot of support,encouragement & sound advice here,,,,,always pointing to Gods Word,,,,,,,praise the Lord

     I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to start a thread in our "Welcome Forum",introduce yourself to our community,that is the place where our members go to meet,greet & welcome newbies to the fold..  It is not the place for General Discussion but for us to get to know a little about you,,,,it is suggested that all new members are asked to have 5 posts before starting a thread & posting in an appropriate Forum ,,,,,,,,I know you must not have been aware of this & no harm,no foul,,,,,,,we are happy to be here to participate in this thread,,,,         Please read the ToS,Terms of Service & I do hope you will love Worthy as much as I do,,,,,,,,,it is a Blessing from God

      God Bless you,,,,,,,,I am praying for you,,,,,,,I don't have much to say except this & I heard this from someone who was not quite saved when they met & married their husband who was a strong ,mature believer,,,,,,,,,,,no matter what was going on he never let her attitude,beliefs or actions take his Joy from the Lord,,,,,,,,this would sometimes infuriate her   ,especially when she would try to pick a fight-lol      His Joy is what provoked her to jealousy & she eventually wanted what he had so badly that she came to the foot of the cross & received that same JOY,,,,,,they are married over 45 years today & she is a preacher,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,your walk,always remember WHO you represent,pray,trust the Lord!                                                                                            With love in Christ,Kwik 

[FreeinChrist]

 

13)  And the woman which has an husband that believeth not, and if he be please to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

 

14)  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean, but now are they holy.

I Corinthians 7:13-14

 

I would say by all means stay with her if she will have you.

 

 

[Willa]

As a wife, I was directed to 1 Peter 3:1-12.  Substitute husbands for wives in the first part,  in " if some do not obey the word, they may without a word may be won by the conduct of their (husbands)".  ''Then skip to v.7 through 12.  Dwell with them with understanding.  Women want to be held, reassured, and treated with affection and honor.  Appreciate her.  Help with the kids as much as possible and be a good dad.  Kids wear out a woman and they need some quiet time as much as you do when you come home from work.  And ask her what you can do to help.  --having compassion, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing--.  Most of all, ask God to fill you with His love for her

1 Cor. 134-7  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.   Love never fails--

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,    v 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.    For no one ever hated his own flesh but  nourishes it and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. (Read passage)

As you put God first in your life, He redirects you to your wife and family.  You do need to absorb His Word and the things of God to become established in Him.  But try to give time to her and kids as well.  When hubby was saved he followed me around like a puppy and was almost annoying.  It was the answer to my years of prayers, but I realized that God was using the time to prepare my heart to receive my new hubby, a changed man.  He was also changing me to be more submissive and to honor him as I should, even before he was saved.  So give it all some time and be very patient and kind with her.  

We have been married 52 years now, and God has slowly made him into the man of my dreams.  He is so good and faithful.

Blessings,

Willa

 

[missmuffet]

Since you are a new member may I say welcome to Worthy.I think that is enough said for now.When you have more posts perhaps we can chat about this further.

[other one]

Greenie, seems like your head is in the right place.  And thanks for trusting us with your dilemma.  Let's break it down.

• you were saved at 14 and still are saved, even with the backslide issue.......good
• you married out of love.....good
• You repented at 25 ........good
• you still love your wife, child and marriage at least enough to be concerned .....good

See?  All good.  Now you have a chance to introduce The Lord into your family.  You can achieve this by causing you wife to desire what you have.  Be happy.  No kidding, be happy.  You should be, you are in a unique position right now.  Win her over the same way you did earlier in your relationship.  Do you still open doors for her, pull out the chair for her in a restaurant? 

You are correct to understand that forcing your beliefs on her will not be effective.  Remain with her as long as she is willing to have you.  Be patient, Jesus will show Himself to her through you.  Then it will be her choice.  Bod Bless You.  Keep the Faith.

Greenie, you need to print 1x1is1's post off and read it every morning until your wife believes........   while you can't make her believe, you can set an example....   and be happy.....   be happy with her....    Remember that Jesus told us that we should love our wives as he loved the church, and he loved the church enough to die for it before we were believers.    You can do the same for her, and in doing so as I understand it can cause her to be saved also.

 

If you have the finances and can get your wife to attend this is one awesome teaching tool on how God expects husbands and wives to be....   http://www.familylife.com/WeekendToRemember

Edited August 25, 2015 by other one

[other one]

And remember that God demanded that we love our wives......   he did not make that a command for our wives......   we have to earn their love.