Betrayed again ... but Jesus knows the feeling

I’ve just been betrayed – for the umpteenth time. (I stopped counting a long time ago. It was only hurting me to do so.)

Who’s the betrayer?

It’s not worth belaboring the details. Let’s just say it was someone who should know better. Someone who once promised to be an ally. Someone with whom, for a variety of reasons, I cannot avoid interacting fairly often. Someone who deliberately set out to damage me in front of other people.

It sort of backfired on the betrayer this time, who ended up looking worse for wear. But thank God, it’s not my job to discipline the deceiver. I didn’t jump in. I just looked away. Anyway, people got it. Truth has a way of outing, once in a while.

Still it hurt.

Hey, it happens. And this breach of trust, like so many before it, might never be fixed. Sure, the Lord calls us to forgive. And we do. But trust is hard to rebuild, especially when deceit, disregard, and double-crossing are demonstrated routinely and cavalierly.

What can we do when this happens?

Sometimes there’s nothing we can do, except to step back and pray God will guard our hearts. And He does.

Jesus gets it.

He was betrayed by a close friend, someone who promised to stick with Him. Someone who shared His daily life, His journeys, and His meals. He knows the heavy sighs, the aching heart, and the soul sorrow of betrayal. And He comes alongside to comfort us when we face the same disappointment.

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” (Psalm 118:6-9, ESV)

I like the part about looking in triumph on the one who hates. I don’t really care about triumphing over the betrayer. But I do want to triumph over the hurt in my own heart. That battle is worth winning. And the Lord has already claimed the victory.

In His power, we can look at the haters and the hurters from a position of strength. And that’s a big win. We know we are abundantly loved by the One that truly matters, no matter what a betrayer may say or do.

Judas, I forgive you. But my boundaries just grew a little bigger and stronger again.

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain photo

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