Infidelity is by far one of the worst things that can transpire in marriage. Trust me, I know from personal experience! It violates everything built between you and your spouse in such a personal way. Majority of us who’ve been cheated on didn’t see it coming…I know I was blindsided for sure!
“I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children.” – Tiger Woods
Infidelity felt like death to me, in more ways than one: the death of our trust, the death of our affection, the death of all the work we’ve done in our marriage.
There’s no doubt that infidelity negatively and deeply impacts marriages in the worst way.
Here are 30 consequences of infidelity:
- Your relationship with God could suffer from a break in fellowship.
- Having to seek forgiveness from God.
- Having to seek forgiveness from your spouse.
- Suffering from the emotional consequences of guilt.
- Spending numerous hours replaying the failure.
- Both you and your spouse suffering the emotional scars of this betrayal.
- Countless hours in counseling.
- Recovery will be long and painful.
- The pain will be deeply compounded by one’s own suffering and shame.
- Your marriage will suffer a break in trust, fellowship, and intimacy.
- You may be together, but feel excessive loneliness.
- The reputation of your family may suffer.
- Your kid(s) may be disappointed, confused, and may not forgive.
- Friends & Family may be disappointed and question your integrity.
- Job loss possibly resulting from emotional drain and the inability to focus and function.
- Family relationships are likely to suffer and even end.
- Divorce.
- Some folks may shy away from you and dissolve friendships.
- Being the bearer of such significant emotional pain to one another.
- An unwanted child conceived.
- Abortion of an innocent child conceived during the affair.
- Diseases exchanged and transmitted infecting the innocent spouse.
- Self-employed business owners may lose trust resulting in a loss of business.
- If one is in a leadership role it might be diminished in impact.
- Making marriage look like another bad statistic deterring people from getting married.
- Illnesses resulting from stress, depression, anxiety, & etc.
- Might have to start life over again.
- Perhaps a generational curse has been created.
- Loss of trust and intimacy (possibly forever).
- Death from disease and/or violence (domestic).
Well, this is quite a sobering list, yes? What’s even more sobering is that many people will consider these consequences and still turn a blind eye to proceed in self and spousal destruction. The fantasy is more important to them than the reality.
The biggest benefit of this list may be in helping all of us infidelity proof our marriages, by realizing the need to set up strict safeguards to ensure that we are faithful in our marital commitment. I can confidently say, if my husband and I had both known what adultery would do to us, our family, and our friends, we would have watched our wandering eyes, guarded our thought life, and avoided the situations that put us in harm’s way.
I think it is important to make mention that though we SUFFERED many of the above, God saw us through and we are happily on the other side of infidelity. So it is possible, and for that I wish to give hope to marriages going through this…that you can come out thriving on the other side. However, trust me that you rather be proactive vs. reactive!
Infidelity is one of the easiest ways to damage a marriage. The reason infidelity is the closest thing to impossible to resolve and work through is because it completely shatters the most basic foundation of a marriage: trust.
Infidelity can collapse even the strongest bonds and is especially dangerous because it has the power to destroy your marriage. Don’t cheat on your spouse, unless you’re ready for some major consequences!