Lesson 48

How do I deal with my own fantasies?

It is difficult to be the wife of a man who has fallen into sexual sin. However, we can also get sidetracked by the enemy, though perhaps in different ways. Through television, movies, social media, and conversations, we see and hear about the lives of other women. When a woman starts to think, “I wish my life was like that,” it can lead to envy which then becomes dissatisfaction about her own marriage. It’s entirely possible to fantasize life with a different man or to believe other lies of the enemy about ourselves, our bodies, or our circumstances. That “other life” may not be what God has planned for you and your husband.

Beth reflected on her story. “There have been a handful of men that I’ve encountered since I’ve been married that seem to fit a certain type that causes me to think, ‘I wonder how life would have turned out differently if …’ but I’ve learned to quickly recognize and address those thoughts so as not to let it prevail as a fantasy. While my husband is not perfect, I choose to focus on his good qualities. I am reminded that I’m not perfect either, and that God is continually choosing to renew and redeem our brokenness with His holiness. I would never want to gamble with God’s blessing and I’m so full of peace and joy that this path, however difficult, is the one that God had in His plan for me.”