THE TRAGEDY OF BETRAYAL “Forgive me for not loving you like HE wants me too” “The devil knew God had a plan for your life that’s why he tried so hard to wipe you out. He didn’t want you to live long enough to fulfil it. But the fact that you’re still here today writing this says that he failed and that God is not through with you yet. God has an appointed task for you to accomplish and appointed blessings for you to enjoy. HE has called you with an eternal calling and HE will bring it to pass.” Betrayal is a gross violation of trust and can be one of the most devastating forms of pain inflicted upon a human being. The suffering of betrayal is often magnified by a sense of vulnerability and exposure. For many, the pain of betrayal is worse than physical violence, deceit, or prejudice. Betrayal destroys the foundation of trust. David was no stranger to betrayal: “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (Psalm 55:12-14). The closer the relationship, the greater the pain of betrayal. Jesus knew the pain of betrayal firsthand. The worst, most treacherous betrayal of all time was Judas’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9, NKJV; cf. John 13:18). But Jesus did not become vindictive, bitter, or angry. Just the opposite. After receiving the traitor’s kiss, Jesus addressed Judas as “friend” (Matthew 26:50). Despite the pain, there is a way we can overcome betrayal. The power comes directly from God and the strength of forgiveness. After David laments a broken trust in Psalm 55, he provides a clue to how to overcome the pain. He says, “But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17). The first key is to cry out to God. Though we may want to strike out at the betrayer, we need to take our cause to the Lord. “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). Another key in overcoming the pain of betrayal is to remember Jesus’ example. Our sinful nature impels us to “repay evil with evil,” but Jesus taught us otherwise: “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. . . . Pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:39, 44). When Jesus “was abused, he did not return abuse” (1 Peter 2:23). We should conform to His example by not repaying abuse for abuse, including the abuse of betrayal. Believers are to do good even to those who harm them. Another powerful key in overcoming the bitterness of betrayal is our God-given ability to forgive the betrayer. The word forgiveness includes the word give. When we choose to forgive someone, we actually give that person a gift—the freedom from personal retaliation. But you are also giving yourself a gift—a “grudge-free life.” Trading our bitterness and anger for the love of God is a wonderful, life-giving exchange. Jesus taught that “loving our neighbor as ourselves” should be proactive: “But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Without question, it is enormously difficult to forgive a person who’s betrayed our trust. It is only possible with God (see Luke 18:27). Those who have experienced God’s love understand what it means to be loved unconditionally and undeservedly. Only with the help of God’s Spirit can we love and pray for those who seek to do us harm (Romans 12:14-21). However in saying that with some cases the real tragedy of betrayal is not in the minuscule pain bestowed upon the betrayed but of the actual humongous pain bestowed upon God Himself through the act of actually betraying HIM and HIS best, plan and purpose HE may have had for your life. And this is the real issue here, for God cannot and will not tolerate sin of any form in a believer’s life. For me personally the real pain of betrayal is certainly not from any self-centred sorrow or heartbreak, but from a very deep aching agony and sadness of seeing the most blessed, beautiful and vibrant child of God wilfully submit to a few pathetic temptations of Satan in exchange for a seat on HIS throne. Yes this is a true tragedy of betrayal a foolish exchange of temporal money, parties, likes and sales for an eternal seat on HIS throne “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with ME on MY throne, as I also overcame and sat down with MY Father on HIS throne.” Revelations 3:21. Yes this is a real tragedy and truly heart-breaking! youtube/watch?v=ViCq-i7-_RI youtube/watch?v=KkESX4EyUZE
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 07:29:52 +0000
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