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Relationship problem (very long post!)

Oct 22, 2007
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Hi everyone,
This is my first post on Christian Forums so I wanted to say hello first of all before I ask you for some advice and your prayers.
For the sake of all of you having to read about my situation; I have tried to keep it as short as possible. I realise this is still going to be a very long post, but I would appreciate your thoughts and advice…

I have been seeing a non-Christian girl for nearly 5 months. When we met, I guess I was feeling lonely and wanted someone to be there for me. I knew it would be wrong to commit to a relationship like this, but at the time was struggling in my walk with the Lord. (My girlfriend didn’t know about my faith when we first met.)
When we started seeing each other I slowly began to backslide further (drinking with her, going to clubs, my language began to deteriorate etc and we also started sleeping together.)

At times she could be very affectionate, and kind. She has also been through a lot… (she is 25). Her father left her and her mother as a teenager. She has also suffered from eating disorders/has a low self esteem. I really felt sorry for her and I think part of me wanted to be with her to help her.
I soon began to find out however, that she had a very selfish side to her. She seemed to want her own way all the time, and was stubborn. There were quite a few things in her personality I began to dislike and made me wonder if this was the type of girl I should be with and can possibly marry. She would get very angry at times when things didn’t go right for her/didn’t get her own way. She would often talk to me like I was a child and speak to me in a bad way. The more time I spent with her I saw things I didn’t like…

However, as strange as it sounds, we did start getting a lot closer as a couple. We spent every night together. Either she would sleep over my house or I would stay over hers. We talked a lot and shared a lot of things together. We talked about getting engaged.
There were a few things that she has done though in this time that have really upset me and I have recently got to the stage that I don’t feel the way I used to about her…
She went to the cinema with her ex-boyfriend (without letting me know) while I went away for the night with a friend of mine (I owed him a favour and went with him for company). She wanted me to stay with her. I said I felt I should go. She told me she was planning on having a night in been as I was gone. When I couldn’t reach her she text me to say she had gone there with him and even back to his place to pick up something he borrowed. When I told her how upset I was she didn’t see the problem as they were “just friends”.

I booked a meal for us at an Italian place as it was 2months since we first started seeing each other. Afterwards I would take her, just the 2 of us to the place where we first met. To cut a long story short, after spotting her ex-boyfriend drive past; she called him up and she told him we would meet up with him and his friends to “catch up” for a drink. She spent most of the rest of the night talking to him. When we got home I told her I was upset (she was then “too tired” to go for the drive we had originally planned) and she told me “I don’t know what your problem is as it wasn’t like it was as important as our 1yr anniversary or anything”. She never did apologise the next day either.

She also has talked to many random guys off the net on MSN. There have been at least 4 guys who have made inappropriate comments to her (knowing she is with me) about meeting up for “fun” or “jumping into bed” with her. Now she has never encouraged any of them but has never told them to stop saying stuff like that or deleted them. When I told her about this she told me “I never seem to be able to do anything right” (in reference to going to the cinema with her ex)…
She eventually understood how I felt about everything and was upset because she thought she would “lose me”…..
Yet a few days later the same thing happened on MSN with another guy. Again, she tried to pass it off by saying to him “my boyfriend wouldn’t be happy”…
This last incident happened about a month ago. I found the conversation stored on my laptop (my MSN automatically keeps a record of conversations). I didn’t bring the subject up with her as it had been discussed only a few days before.

I realised that as time went on that I needed to make a decision about our future. I just felt as if I didn’t have the same feelings about her as I once did. Perhaps the emotions of spending so much time together and the fact we had been sleeping together clouded my judgement and made me think I felt something for her when maybe I just wanted to walk away.

I eventually told her how I felt a few days ago. She was extremely upset. She said she couldn’t believe I was doing this over the fact that she had those conversations on MSN. She even denied them at first until I said I had seen them. She was also upset when I explained that I was a “born again” Christian and felt that the relationship from this point of view was wrong (I had told her I was a Christian and she knew I was studying for a Biblical Diploma for a good few weeks). She said she couldn’t believe I would “dump her for a stupid book”. I could understand her reason for being upset, as she didn’t realise that the Bible speaks of the relationship we have as being wrong (sex before marriage, drinking, clubbing, staying over each others place every night in the same bed).

She threatened to kill herself if I left her as she wouldn’t have anything to live for. She also said that it would have been my fault if she did (“I would have that on my conscience when I had to visit her grave”). She has now said that she didn’t really mean it as she was just angry (which makes me think who would say something like that?)

As you could imagine I was extremely upset when she said this and felt I should at least try and calm her down as she felt all of this had come as a shock. She said she would do ANYTHING for us to stay together (see the next paragraph)…I agreed that we should “take a break” from each other like she asked for. She said she didn’t want to lose me and if we did this at least we had a chance of working things out. Been as she threatened to kill herself; I felt at least if we did have some times apart, then the shock wouldn’t make her do anything stupid. We went back in and had a meal together as she didn’t want to be left alone.

Later that evening, she tried explaining that she was a Christian and believed in God. I told her how you really become a “born again” Christian, and she seemed interested and said that is what she agrees with as-well (I am not totally sure if she said this so that I would stay with her???) Eventually we prayed together and she said she meant what she said (accepted Jesus as her saviour)…The reason I have doubts is that when I have mentioned things about my course before she has said that she believes in “heaven and hell and in God” but not in “all this other rubbish” as you “don’t have to go to church to be a Christian”…

She now wants to go to church but still is confused about many issues. Since this all happened, she has tried to be as nice to me as possible. She has behaved totally different towards me. She is not selfish or moody; yet I still feel like I have doubts…Not only about if she really meant what she prayed (just to satisfy me as only a few days ago she showed no interest in my faith as I believed in)…but also I still have doubts that I still want to be with her. I still think there may be problems down the road and don’t feel the same way as she still does.

Now I feel like I am in a really difficult situation. She said she really meant what she did the other day (accepting Jesus as her saviour), and that she really didn’t think about what she has done in the past and never meant me to get hurt (“I do things without thinking”)… I have told her I have forgiven her, yet I feel that too much has gone on and it would be best if we didn’t have a relationship. She has said that if we did split up…She couldn’t be friends with me as it would hurt her too much to see me with someone else in the future…

So if I do end things with her…this would mean she wouldn’t want to see me anymore and because of this I wouldn’t be able to take her to church/ help her to “grow” (that is if she really meant what she said).

I feel so awful about the whole situation. I know how upset she has been. I know I was wrong to go out with her in the first place. I realise now God has shown me in so many ways that I should have gotten out of the relationship before now. I really do care for her (and her spiritual state), but I think that possibly the emotions that go with what we have done has clouded my judgement.

I haven’t eaten for days properly, or slept. I feel like if I still have doubts now…..That I should end things as it seems the whole relationship has been destructive to my walk with the Lord.

Please could you give me some advice as to what you would do in my situation. I know it sounds like I have already answered my questions for myself, but need some friends to talk to…That’s where hopefully, you guys can be there for me and pray for me???

God Bless.
 

Blank123

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IMHO, going off everything you have just said, she became a Christian to hold on to you and nothing more. I can't judge her heart of course but it seems that suicide threats didn't work to keep you into a relationship so she became a Christian and now that she knows how much you want her to grow in her walk she's threatening to take away that influence you like to have on her in that regard if you do break up with her. Its all about her being in control.

It really doesn't sound like a healthy relationship to me or one that makes you very happy so here's what i would do. Go to your pastor and ask him if his wife or some other lady he could recommend would be willing to mentor this girl (to give your gf the benefit of the doubt) and then you can feel free to break things off with her knowing she is receiving the nurturing she needs if in fact she has become born again and wasn't just saying that to keep you in her life.
 
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HolyOne87

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Yeah, to me it sounds like that she is only becoming "Christian" so you would stay with her...and she isn't doing it for the right reasons. Just that quote, "I will do anything for us to stay together", to me, means she is possibly FORCING herself to become a Christian..rather then just straight up wanting to.

I don't get why she can't be friends with you though. You could try and help her build her faith.

Like others said, it doesn't sound like a healthy relationship. I am not even sure if you are benefiting from the relationship. It seems like you are getting dragged down a little from this relationship as well , which, like you said, could and might effect your walk with the Lord, which is something I know you don't want.


I will def pray for you..If you ever need to talk, dont hesitate to contact me or anyone on here.

*hugs*
 
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Oct 22, 2007
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Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and reply to my post…It means a lot!

Last night I went to see her and when I was on her laptop I found a conversation that she had with her ex on MSN about 10 days ago (this was when I was not with her)…He ex boyfriend is a player and has been sleeping with numerous girls at the same time and she was asking him if he was seeing any of them that night. She also told him that she was seeing me later on that day. She then started to ask him a few questions like… “when was the last time you had sex?”…He didn’t reply…She then asked him “are you feeling horny then?”…
I don’t know in what context to make of this as I didn’t get chance to read the whole conversation properly and will try and so sometime soon within the next day or so.

Before I saw her last night, I prayed that God would show me what I should do about the whole situation and feel that He did when I discovered this conversation.

When she went to the cinema with her ex a while ago and we sat down and discussed the situation, she admitted that she realises that there are certain things she can and cannot do with him as a friend now she is in a serious relationship with me. Yet, despite this; and telling me that she wouldn’t make me feel like I wasn’t #1 again…To me she has broken her promise.

Her reaction will probably be that she didn’t mean it to sound like it did, or just say she didn’t realise that it would upset me…BUT I doubt she would have said what she did if I had been watching her type the conversation. Do you think this conversation alone is a just reason to walk away on the grounds of what has gone on before with other guys?
 
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HolyOne87

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I feel thats a huge red light (the conversation). If that is how most of her conversations are with guys, then I would do heavy thinking. I know if i were dating a guy and he did those sort of things, I would feel pretty bad about myself, thinking that I am not good enough for him or something. Plus sometimes it would make me believe that he only has one thing on his mind. I find it silly that she wouldn't think such a thing would upset you. I know that would upset me if I found a few conversations on my guys (if I had one of course..lol) computer full of those type of conversations.

I think God is telling you what to do. Its just up to you whether you will do it or not.

I will pray to God that He will be there for you in whatever decision you choose.
 
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Alexandrah

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She has abandonment issues, so she will do or say whatever it is she thinks you want to her in order to keep you.

It's unlikely she will commit suicide if you leave her. It's likely she is just using that as a way to get attention.

I think you should break off your relationship, pray that she gets the help she needs and move on with your own life.
 
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peanutbutter12

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I agree with all of the above here. This type of relationship isn't at all healthy and I wonder why you even consider options when the answer is right in front of you. It's not going to get any better, so your only option is to opt out and give time to let feelings fade before you seek out someone else. This will also give you more time to become more secure in your faith.

You don't deserve what she's doing to you. Obviously she's not interested in a full commitment, so you are wasting your time.
 
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Oct 22, 2007
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Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply again…It means a lot.

Since Saturday (when she got “saved”???), I have bought her a Bible, some reading material for new Christians and also some daily devotionals…As of yet I haven’t managed to hand them to her…

Since Saturday, she has tried so hard to put things right. She admits she was wrong, it has been all her fault and that if she could turn back the clock she would. She has been kind, caring to how I have been feeling and has also told her mother and closest friend what has gone on (and said it has been all her fault things have got like this)…She has even said she had already made plans to make my birthday "special" as it is coming up soon. I know what she has done and it has taken a lot of thought on her part....

In saying this, I simply do not understand how she can think that if I saw any of those conversations that I wouldn’t be very upset by them. She says that she “doesn’t think” before doing things and wouldn’t hurt me for anything. I find it hard to see how someone her age (and without being hurtful…street-wise/ "worldy") could not see that these “friends” she talks to are out for nothing more than using her.

She seems totally genuine when she is upset and says she “didn’t think” about speaking to these people…This is extremely upset even talking about it which makes me “want” to believe her. When I spoke to her last night on the phone we discussed this…she said she didn’t realise they wanted to meet up for sex or anything like that even though several different “friends” have asked to “come round and keep her company”, “help him decorate his new flat”, “meet up for some fun…your boyfriend doesn’t need to know”, and “jump into bed”…This I find hard to accept and believe.

I have done much praying and have not eaten properly for 5 days now…I feel God has given me some wisdom as to how to sort the situation out in the best possible way considering everything that has gone on…

1.) Find a church for her to go to if she really is genuine and contact them so that someone will befriend her and make her feel welcome.
2.) Give her the Bible and reading material to help her on her way.
3.) Find a counsellor (Christian) for her. This could be the Pastor/ or his wife? I feel all of this stems from her low self-esteem from her eating disorder, and the fact her father walked out on her a few years ago and has no contact with her (doesn’t send a birthday card/call her etc yet he does with her brother). Do you think this could be the cause of her behaviour?
4.) End the relationship as best as I can (even though she doesn’t want to be friends if I do). Tell her I will always be there for her as a friend if she needs guidance/advice (although I know she will not want to be in contact at all…ever)…

Do you think this is the best way forward?
God Bless.
 
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peanutbutter12

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I think it's well thought out. I would not have her be a part of the church you're attending. That could cause some major conflict in the future if she decides to dislike you for your decisions you need to make. Plus, it will make it harder to stick to your decisions if you're a daily part of her life and she decides to keep trying to win you back.

As far as her behavior? Who is to know? It could stem from that or a million other things. In the end, what matters is how she will overcome and take control of her own emotions instead of letting them be controlled.
 
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Oct 22, 2007
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Thank you...Do you believe her when she says she "doesn't realise it would upset me that much"..."I just don't think" etc when she has been doing these things? Makes me wonder as these problems have come up several times...When she went out with her ex and when I read those conversations...On both occasions she was upset as she thought she would "lose me"...

God Bless.
 
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Blank123

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Thank you...Do you believe her when she says she "doesn't realise it would upset me that much"..."I just don't think" etc when she has been doing these things? Makes me wonder as these problems have come up several times...When she went out with her ex and when I read those conversations...On both occasions she was upset as she thought she would "lose me"...

God Bless.
from the fact she keeps doing these things, do you believe her?
 
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