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Please pray
Greetings to all of you.
I am posting this to specially request for prayers and seek advice from my brothers & sisters here.
I'll try and be as brief as possible. The issue is that my wife is increasingly leaning towards charismatic or pentecostal style worship. Due to some influences within her family, she has been showing this inclination since our marriage almost 10years ago. Over the years, I've learned to accept this fact and so, have not interfered with her faith, in the interests of the kids and harmony at home. Besides, as she prays and fasts regularly, I did not want to raise objections in this regard. Both our families are traditionally Orthodox and in fact our wedding ceremony was conducted by a senior priest who is her close relative. All these years, I've mostly attended church alone and never forced her to accompany me since its not right to force people against their will in these matters. So while I attended church, she stayed home and watched evangelists perform on TV.
During this lenten season however, things have started to take an unpleasant turn.
Now, I don't want this to look like a one-sided rant. I realize my many shortcomings and am an unworthy example as a person and an Orthodox Christian. Which is why I decided to firm up my prayer life and discard the lukewarm, merely existential way of life that I led thus far. Hence, I decided to observe this lent and also use this occasion to get more grounded in the Orthodox faith. Unfortunately, whatever corrective changes I made were met with complaints, comments and ridicule from her whether its reading the Agbeya, observing lenten regulations, listening to church hymns or sermons etc. Recently she told me that she regretted getting married and that she was going to get re-baptized soon. I replied that it would entirely be her decision and that it was not for me to judge its merits. Subsequently, she has started to speak disrespectfully about me, my parents and relatives, accusing us of being misguided, obsessed with priests, bishops and rituals, lacking in sensitivity etc..
I wonder if this is the result of feelings of insecurity. But whatever differences of opinion there may be, I believe there should be mutual respect and gracefulness in whatever we do.
I request you guys to pray for us that we be united in faith and to harbor no bitterness towards each other.
God bless,
R
I am posting this to specially request for prayers and seek advice from my brothers & sisters here.
I'll try and be as brief as possible. The issue is that my wife is increasingly leaning towards charismatic or pentecostal style worship. Due to some influences within her family, she has been showing this inclination since our marriage almost 10years ago. Over the years, I've learned to accept this fact and so, have not interfered with her faith, in the interests of the kids and harmony at home. Besides, as she prays and fasts regularly, I did not want to raise objections in this regard. Both our families are traditionally Orthodox and in fact our wedding ceremony was conducted by a senior priest who is her close relative. All these years, I've mostly attended church alone and never forced her to accompany me since its not right to force people against their will in these matters. So while I attended church, she stayed home and watched evangelists perform on TV.
During this lenten season however, things have started to take an unpleasant turn.
Now, I don't want this to look like a one-sided rant. I realize my many shortcomings and am an unworthy example as a person and an Orthodox Christian. Which is why I decided to firm up my prayer life and discard the lukewarm, merely existential way of life that I led thus far. Hence, I decided to observe this lent and also use this occasion to get more grounded in the Orthodox faith. Unfortunately, whatever corrective changes I made were met with complaints, comments and ridicule from her whether its reading the Agbeya, observing lenten regulations, listening to church hymns or sermons etc. Recently she told me that she regretted getting married and that she was going to get re-baptized soon. I replied that it would entirely be her decision and that it was not for me to judge its merits. Subsequently, she has started to speak disrespectfully about me, my parents and relatives, accusing us of being misguided, obsessed with priests, bishops and rituals, lacking in sensitivity etc..
I wonder if this is the result of feelings of insecurity. But whatever differences of opinion there may be, I believe there should be mutual respect and gracefulness in whatever we do.
I request you guys to pray for us that we be united in faith and to harbor no bitterness towards each other.
God bless,
R
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