I come to you today seeking some advice. Here is my story:
I divorced my first husband in 2017. I was unfaithful. I make no excuses. I destroyed my family. I remarried shortly after to a man who was also unfaithful to his vows. Shortly after (actually immediately after) my second husband became extremely abusive. Emotional abuse progressed to his infidelity, sexual abuse, control, relentless accusations.. he began to act out on paranoid delusions stating that I was unfaithful with at least 30 different men.. that I was poising him and drugging children. Physical abuse. Involuntary mental health commitment. It all ended with complete abandonment about nine months after we wed. This man he turned into is just not the man that I knew. I remember when I was younger I was baptized, but I had no faith up until this point. I questioned Gods existence. I never paid any mind to how a Christian should live. This led me to self-medicating as I couldn’t take the depression anymore. My heart was shattered. I had lost everything. It was at that lowest point I called out to God for help, I truly believe he saved me. I have to forever live with the fact that my selfishness caused so much pain. I have asked God for forgiveness. I have apologized to my first husband and done all that I can to restore what he lost as a result of our divorce. Apologized to my children. I have also apologized to the wife my ex-husband left behind.
My abusive ex has moved away, back with family (his abuse came with legal consequences). He believed that divorcing me and moving back home would solve the problems that he was facing, as if God was punishing him for his adultery and the only way to solve the problem was to get rid of me. His family, including his ex wife, enabled his behavior by downplaying his mental health struggles and blocked every attempt I made to get him help. (even though they warned me ahead of time that he struggled with severe depression and antisocial disorders). He was cold in his abandonment, and refused to even communicate for a while, yet maintained that he was devoting his life to God. Which I fully support, I’ve prayed that God would intervene in his life. He has apologized to me for the things he had done, but had no desire to reconcile or do anything to make things right (as he believes divorcing me. Recently, a concerned friend reached out to me because he had posted some things online that she thought I should know. He posted that his health was failing, he was unable to keep his job, that the doctors tell him his symptoms are all in his head and he was to the point where he prayed God would call him home. This broke my heart, despite the pain he put me through I don’t wish him harm. I think understanding his struggles a little better allowed me to get to a place of forgiveness with him.
My question (sorry if I got off track, I feel the backstory is important), is where do I go from here in regards to upholding the vows made before God? I know that the remarriage was adultery, but I also don’t believe that breaking a second vow was the answer. I know that scripture doesn’t allow me and my first spouse to reconcile. Is reconciliation the desired outcome between me and my second spouse? I want to make it clear that I am not at a point of even wanting that. I want God to continue his work in both of us. If that is not the outcome should I remain unmarried from here on out? I am new to understanding this and am open to seeing how others interpret the situation. Should I still be fighting for this failed marriage?