He'd Be a Great Husband and Father, But ...

But he's not a believer. But he's from a Muslim home, but he's not practicing. But we were sexually intimate and I can't seem to stay broken up. But I think I made a terrible decision leaving him. But he'd be a great husband and father.

There are a lot of reasons to stay in a relationship and this week's Q&A for Boundless is with a woman who is worried that she made a mistake breaking things off with her boyfriend.

She wrote,

I'm a recent college grad who fell in love with a guy who is Muslim but not really practicing. I told him I was a practicing Christian. He is a beautiful guy inside and out. We dated for about 9 1/2 months, during which I met his entire family, all his friends and people close to him. He has always treated me with respect and been very honest.

I, however, felt shameful in coming into the presence of God knowing that I was giving myself in every way to a guy who did not know Christ. I got the strength one night and decided to break up with him. I've been struggling ever since.

I feel as though I made a mistake in letting him go.

I've already heard from several women who used to be in relationships like hers but found the courage to end things. They wrote,

Breaking up with my agnostic ex-boyfriend was by far the hardest thing I've ever done... and it was also one of the best things I've ever done. That girl needs to hang in there, because God is good, He is faithful and He rewards those who follow Him!

and

Dating a nonbeliever really shifted my focus from God to me me me. Finally breaking up with him was awful--it hurt because I was in the relationship to please myself. But God truly is faithful and now I have a wonderful Christian husband who encourages my walk with Jesus and whose focus is on Christ. He was worth the heartbreak!

I also heard from a mom who said,

Thanks for such an open, honest interpretation of God's ideal of marriage. It is not popular to stand on scripture in any issue, but especially when it comes to marriage today. I thank the Lord for this article and trust that young woman will do the right thing by breaking away completely.

What would you do?

You can read my response here.

Comments

[Donna]

I read this article the other day and I thought your response was truly a blessing. While I'm not in this situation, it convicted me to search my heart for ways in which I may be making excuses and trying to justify based on emotions or what's seen externally over what the word of God clearly lets us know.

[Cathy]

Wow, reading this story reminded me somewhat of my past and current struggles. I too was involved in a relationship with a non practicing Muslim. We were together for about 5 years, and have been broken up for about a year. Although we were together for so long, I never met his parents and he never met mine, because we both lived at home and didn't want to deal with the objections of our parents. I had a close relationship with God before I met him, and during the relationship I was so far away from God and his purpose in my life. You never really experience real pain until you are torn between your heart and your purpose. I thank God that he literally pulled me out of that relationship because for all 5 years, my life was at a stand still. I'm still praying and waiting on God to bless me with a husband; some days I think of what would have been had things been different, but mostly I pray and hold on to God's promises. I know that one day I will meet that man that will value me and treat me like the princess that God intended for me to be, someone that will fit into God's purposes in my life.

[RachelV]

I thought that the Q&A time/Inbox question on Boundless Episode #149 was amazing and I think it should be posted on here!

[Natalie]

Thank you for this article. I am struggling emotionally right now because I was in a relationship with a non-Christian and we had a baby together. I thought I was a Christian who just made a mistake when I fornicated, but looking back, I never was.

I broke up with him because the Holy Spirit was bringing me to repentance/faith in Jesus Christ. It was the hardest thing. I am now saved but I still hurt because of the bond of sex and the consequences of sin. He's now living with another woman and it's hard. I don't want to ever go back to how I was. However, I long to be married to a Godly man and to raise my family with two parents and not as a single mother, so we can serve God.

I would love for my son's father to be saved and we be reunited under Christ, but it's not up to me. Now I just want to avoid him because it hurts too much but it wouldn't be fair to my son to not let him see his father.

Please pray for me.

Great article and it's a great reminder to be faithful to God.