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Can you still love a man who has hurt you deeply

Evo

Member
Female
What to do when there is a feeling of emptiness. When you are hurting, discouraged and not motivated anymore because of the husband's attitude.

What if your husband is very selfish and only thinks about what he needs and want.

Having the feeling of always be at the second level, his friends, siblings ans family, kids from previous marriage always come 1st?

The ex wife is the one dictating. When do the kids visit. According to her mood, plans and wants.

Being heavily pregnant, almost at terms with a baby of 1Y, having to go to work everyday, no car to use, nany and maids every weeks have e problems.


What if you don't see the man you fell in love with?
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Have you discussed your feelings with your husband?

I ask because it seems like he has a lot to worry about himself and it just might be that he's right now depending on you to keep things together. Maybe that's unfair but from what I can tell it is the situation you have.

Being a second wife is never easy whether it's a second plural wife or a second mono wife. You can't help but compare yourself to what came before and maybe feel inferior. But here's the good news: He chose you because you were better than his first wife.

And please accept my sincere Congratulations on your second baby! :)
 
I would first say, pray. Pray for change you hope to see in others. Pray for change in yourself, including eyes to see what needs changing, a soft heart to accept rebuke from the Holy Spirit, and spiritual discipline to implement change in your own life.

Then, as Megan said, talk with your husband.

Also, listen to your husband after you speak to him. Listen with an open mind and a soft heart.

Then, in practical terms, turn your focus outward and look to what (more) you can do for others. When we most feel like we are doing everything for everyone and no one cares for us, we are being the most selfish. Stop letting your mind wander to the question, "What about ME?" by *forcing* it to stay on the question, "What *else* can I do for him/her/them?"

Selfless giving is a sure way to a softened spirit, in my experience. Sometimes such a gentle and giving person spurs others to be less selfish. Other times, it doesn't "work" to bring about the changes we might wish, but regardless, it is guaranteed to work in us!

I know that is hard to hear when you are feeling like you're giving all you possibly can. And you truly do have nothing else to give. I would tell you to be sure you are dipping from the ever-flowing Source of Love, which is God, through prayer and His Word. He is faithful to fill your cup *so that* you can continue or begin to pour into others.

In this way, you can continue to love and must continue to submit to and respect even a foolish and unloving husband - because that respect and love doesn't come from within you, but is given you by God to give him, if you'll be a willing participant.
 
I would first say, pray. Pray for change you hope to see in others. Pray for change in yourself, including eyes to see what needs changing, a soft heart to accept rebuke from the Holy Spirit, and spiritual discipline to implement change in your own life.

Then, as Megan said, talk with your husband.

Also, listen to your husband after you speak to him. Listen with an open mind and a soft heart.

Then, in practical terms, turn your focus outward and look to what (more) you can do for others. When we most feel like we are doing everything for everyone and no one cares for us, we are being the most selfish. Stop letting your mind wander to the question, "What about ME?" by *forcing* it to stay on the question, "What *else* can I do for him/her/them?"

Selfless giving is a sure way to a softened spirit, in my experience. Sometimes such a gentle and giving person spurs others to be less selfish. Other times, it doesn't "work" to bring about the changes we might wish, but regardless, it is guaranteed to work in us!

I know that is hard to hear when you are feeling like you're giving all you possibly can. And you truly do have nothing else to give. I would tell you to be sure you are dipping from the ever-flowing Source of Love, which is God, through prayer and His Word. He is faithful to fill your cup *so that* you can continue or begin to pour into others.

In this way, you can continue to love and must continue to submit to and respect even a foolish and unloving husband - because that respect and love doesn't come from within you, but is given you by God to give him, if you'll be a willing participant.
This is wisdom! @Evo read all of these posts several times and think on them. May the Lord show you what is most important for you to do right now and what to do in the future. I suspect that both of these women fully understand the season you are in and want only to help you navigate it well. My prayers are with you.
 
I have found it is human nature to want others to react to our intentions, yet we tend to react to others words or actions based on their impact on us, regardless of if they meant to be selfish or hurtful.

It is not easy for me to talk about feelings or share them. I recently however let my husband know that him complaining about my sw going to spend time with her folks on weekends could make me feel like he didn't want time alone with me, something in kinda short supply in a busy summer season.

Someone has to be told how their words or actions are impacting you....or they can not be expected to know, understand, or change.

I pray that you both will be blessed with understanding for each other and that effective communication and love will abound.
 
Hi Evo, I want to share a little about my story in hope that it helps you. I dated my husband for about a year before we got married. During this time we agreed to live our lives under God's teachings, meaning me taking a submissive role in the household with my husband as head. We were monogomous at this time, but our marriage was solid until we had our first child.

Naturally I was a lot more tired taking care of a new born, running a household, and all the things that come with that. I failed to see that I had begun to neglect my husband, and around the time our daughter turned 1, I discovered that my husband had been having multiple affairs. The realization that my husband was unfaithful nearly broke me and for quite a while our relationship was very strained.

The thought of divorce certainly crossed my mind, but it was something I could never bring myself to do. So instead of looking for more faults in my husband I searched through prayer for what I could do better and where I let him down. In my conversations with God I relized just how badly I had been neglecting my husband. Yes, I made excuses all the time in the bedroom, but it was more than that. I stoppepd seeing him as a gracious leader, but as a servant to my child and I's needs. Once I realized this, it was a struggle to regain control over my emotions and change my behaviour, it took me months I'd say. But in doing so I was able to grow closer to my husband, find a new facet to my faith that I hadn't even considered before, and grow my family and heart in ways I never thought were possible (addition of sister-wife and children).

Everybody's situation is different of course, but some general advice you may find useful. Pray! God has all the answers and wishes to share them with you, all you have to do is ask him and he will guide you. DO NOT PULL AWAY FROM YOUR HUSBAND. During this time it is crucial that you increase your connection to him. True forgiveness does not come overnight, but if you don't make the effort then it will never arrive. Spend more time with him, engage in his interests, focus on making him happy. The one thing I never did throughout my ordeal is refuse physical intamicy with my husband. Yes the pain of betrayal was very raw, but my making the effort to sleep with him during this time, and even intiate more love making than I ever used to do, it showed him that I was committed to making the relationship work and changing for the better rather than just calling it quits. If he feels safe around you, he will open up more and find his peace with your issues! <3
 
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Hello! Welcome, I'm not sure how long you have been on the site but welcome. I wanted to start off with saying that I don't know your whole situation but I can sympathize with a lot of these feelings and have gone through similar thoughts paths and experiences with these feelings. That being said, I will do my best to adequately address your concerns from my own personal experience and from others I have talked to.

Your first sentence "What to do when you are feeling empty"

Turn to Christ to fill you up. Ask Him to fill that emptiness, ask Him why you feel empty and ask yourself what feeling full looks like to you.


When you are hurting, discouraged and not motivated anymore because of the husband's attitude.
Work hard on not letting your circumstances change your duties and reactions. This is something I have worked years on and am still working on it's a mind shift but once you get there it won't matter what you feel because your job still needs to be done. I repeat I am still working on this but it was helpful to learn a long the way. Just because your husband has a bad attitude does not mean or allow for you to have a bad attitude too. Doesn't mean it's easy but I'd encourage you to focus on that.


What if your husband is very selfish and only thinks about what he needs and want.
Are you thinking about his needs? One thing I noticed is when I am feeling selfish it's because I am self protecting for whatever reason and vice versa for my husband, if we don't think about each other's needs above our own (because ideally the other person is looking out for our needs so we don't have too) we are less likely to be out of sync.

If you are feeling like he is feeling selfish there is a chance he is feeling like you are being selfish. If that is the case I encourage you two to reconnect, talk and figure out how to meet the needs of the other person so neither of you have to look at and seek for your own needs being fulfilled if that makes sense. Also prayer works better than nagging (not saying that you are but still want to address it). Even if you are looking at his needs and are feeling like yours aren't being met after talking, then continue praying and be patient you both are in the middle of a storm for the sounds of it.

I have learned and noticed that being patient (after talking things through) and praying and letting God put your needs on your husband's heart will yield better results than nagging or begging or continuously bringing up how unsatisfied/discouraged/insert emotion here that you are feeling. This prayer should come before the conversation, during, and after.


Having the feeling of always be at the second level, his friends, siblings ans family, kids from previous marriage always come 1st?
Is that truth? Or is this just how you feel? Because there is a difference, I ask that because I noticed many times in my own relationship I would say and get upset about things that my husband has never actually said, it was my own doing for getting worked up. Not saying that is the case here but it's more a challenge for you, to actually look at what is going on. Is this truth? Is he actually putting you second? How can you tell? What would it look like for you to be #1 in your mind? What would that change? Is this actually the problem or is there something deeper there here too? Past events with previous relationships even things our close family members have gone through that you have seen can cause people to feel they are second before they actually are. I would encourage you to pray and write it out hopefully diving deeper will yield answers and peace.


The ex wife is the one dictating. When do the kids visit. According to her mood, plans and wants.
Having ex's with custody agreements is never an easy thing. I am sorry this is just adding more to the pile. I will be praying for you and your family. You have the ability to show love and be flexible and patient, extending grace, to her and as previously stated tap into the Lord's strength and let Him deal with the rest.


Being heavily pregnant, almost at terms with a baby of 1Y, having to go to work everyday, no car to use, nany and maids every weeks have e problems.
Congratulations on the pregnancy, a lot of what you are feeling is honestly probably amplified by the hormones which is totally a natural and normal thing to experience. I remember when I was pregnant the ant hills became mountains and I would often sob because it didn't make sense why these normally smaller things that I could handle felt like I couldn't handle them. That doesn't mean what you are feeling is invalid, it just means be mindful that you are sitting in a hormonal cocktail, and the sleep deprivation, young children, work and vehicle stress, family stress etc, is going to feel much heavier compared to them happening one at a time. So hopefully that's just a mental note to reassure you that you are normal for them to feel harder and bigger than if you weren't at the end of pregnancy.

As the other ladies mentioned talking to your husband is key, prayer is key, perseverance is key, clinging to Christ and your husband is a must. Especially if your husband is appearing selfish, he might just need more reassurance, love, care, and more. Especially if there is financial and vehicle problems. He is probably overly concerned with how can he provide and protect everyone and everything. I of course don't know the whole situation but again something to think about.

Hopefully this is helpful I will be praying for you and thank you for sharing.
 
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