To walk in integrity outside of moral failure has some great benefits to it. I am not sure if you have ever thought about the consequences of having an affair, but here are a few to meditate on:
- Working to rebuild trust and an uninhibited marriage of oneness once again (spiritually, sexually, emotionally)
- Embarrassing family, losing their respect and trust
- Having to walk away from a job or ministry position
- Possibly having to relocate
- Possibly facing newspaper articles, publicly printed communication and social media about personal failure
- Facing rumors, gossip and lies
- Having to face untold and far-reaching negative consequences either based on truth and fact or hearsay
- Maybe having to face the law or possible law suits
- Losing or forfeiting many friendships and local church relationships
- Living with wounds and scars
- Feeling as though everyone is watching you
- Suffering from overwhelming thoughts of failure
- Continually reliving the past and coming up with regret and loss
- Living with continual condemnation
- Struggling to sleep at night
- Waking up in the morning and wondering how to look forward to a new day
- Having to be concerned about who one may face or encounter throughout the day
- Suffering the loss of vision
- Having to go through biblical discipline and a restoration process
- Being unable to look at one’s family and all others in the eye
- Being unable to look at oneself in the mirror without feeling condemnation and feeling like a failure
- Suffering from an unclear conscience; walking through life feeling a cloud over oneself
- Feeling the loss of ones peace and joy
- Suffering through the loss and grief of broken relationship with God
- Living with the deep hurt and pain you caused the one with whom you vowed a promise of fidelity