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17 years of marriage destroyed by mutual infidelity. How to survive this?translated

September 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Reader question:

After 17 years of marriage, with four children, my husband and I separated. Both cheated - my betrayal was revenge for his betrayal. Now he has left for someone else, and I have been living separately for almost a year, hoping that he will come to his senses. This expectation is destroying me. Without work, in a quarrel with my eldest daughter, I feel insignificant. Thoughts of death are stopped by children. How to survive this and find the strength to live on?

Christina

Priest's answer:

Priest Victor NIKISHOV

God bless you!

Your experiences are a natural human reaction to the breakup of a relationship that lasted almost two decades. Your revenge for your husband’s betrayal turned against you - it was an illogical act, but you repented of it, and the Lord forgave you in confession. Now all that remains is to pray for my husband, but not to wait for his return, but to build my life anew. It’s too late and useless to blame someone, but praying for your husband and daughter is what you can and should do.

The most important task now is to establish a relationship with my eldest daughter. This is only possible through a confidential dialogue, as with an adult. Don’t be afraid to admit your mistakes in front of her - this will not undermine your authority, but will show that you...

Source: Журнал ФОМА  ·  Read the full story →
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💬 Comments (1) 🌐 Translate comments
D
Daniela Florea
Am și eu patru copii și știu cum te macină așteptarea asta zi de zi. Cea mai grea parte a fost când m-am oprit din rugăciunea „Doamne, întoarce-l” și am început să mă rog doar „Doamne, ajută-mă să mă ridic”. Poate ar fi bine să cauți o slujbă măcar câteva ore pe zi, chiar și ceva simplu, ca să nu stai numai cu gândurile.
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