Betrayed!!!!!

 Have you ever felt the pain of a betrayal? I have. I never want to experience that again. It's one of the worst feelings another human being can experience. I don't know what it is but it can't be that hard to keep away from people you don't like. I mean come on. It makes more sense to me to hang with folk who you actually appreciate and whose company you favor and whose lifestyle you admire. Not only that but who also relate to you the same way. Why? Why would you attach yourself to someone whom you hate and plot to destroy them? It would seem rather foolish to dedicate your personal time , years even, to study  someone and get personal with them for years only to sabotage their life. I know there are other things I'd rather find myself doing, like relaxing at the beach, reading a good book, eating and enjoying myself than building a pretend friendship. 

But I suppose we at some point have had to wake up and realize that life is not perfect and these things do happen to even good people. I can't describe how crushing it feels especially to know that you trust someone with your life and that is the very thing they were trying to take away from you, literally.

 Forgiving this kind of hurt is one of the most difficult things I've had to do. I'm not claiming to be perfect by any means but we all are going to face bitter betrayals at some point in life. Yes I said betrayals. See some may be of a different nature and not necessarily life threatening but I know it can definitely feel that way even if it wasn't a plot to take your life. Your friend lying on you to destroy your reputation is also enough to destroy your life. Some people sink into depression and despair and don't ever recover from these types of situations. Betrayal can breed illnesses, physical and mental in many cases. 

People often end their lives because of some bitter betrayals such as spouses cheating, or friends stealing their spouse, or business partners stealing and running their business under and walking away with their money. There are different types of scenarios including those that I can't mention here. And yet, in spite of all the hurt and pain that cause death(in some cases), and years of suffering we are still required to forgive. 

I don't know about you but there are times when I've had the (" I'll never forgive you for this" )attitude. Knowing that it wasn't the right attitude. But I too am flesh. In truth, the offense was unforgivable. So knowing all of that what was my only recourse? Turning to God. I know it's not the natural thing. It still isn't but I didn't have a choice. In full feelings of anger and frustration I still knew I couldn't deal with my pain and bitter disappointment. If it's one thing am thankful for is that God did not allow it to happen when I was still an immature christian. He knew when I'd be able to handle the kind of betrayal that requires only heaven to heal and get over.

This was one time I could feel and see the enemy of God's people. It was as if I was fighting the devil himself. 

I, in some sense, had  a faint understanding of what Jesus must have gone through with Judas, while at the same time battling satan and not having anyone to run to for help but his Father. This is no easy feat. Today we know that some friends are described as 'ride or die' friends and the saying has been adopted by this younger generation. Judas was supposed to be a 'ride or die' friend. The others may not have been much help but they didn't entertain the thought of betrayal. 

Through all of this I've leant that the only way to deal with such unbearable situations is to hang on to God. The tests and trials are doing something for us not against us. Right now as we speak I have a personal situation and I'm saying to God, Lord I'm falling apart please help me. I'm learning that prayer and intimacy sounds just that way sometimes. You can't find words and you don't know what to say but you're so afraid of yourself not handling things you just cry to God and say "God help me!". 

If Jesus could face betrayal then we certainly will be required to. He told us in his word that "the servant is not greater than his master", if they hated him then they would hate us too, and for no good reason. But their end is coming. Judas did what satan put him up to but by his choice. His life ended when he could have actually had a better ending. Why take the risk of ending your life without God when you can have God at the end of this life like Christ and his followers did?

We'll have rough days as followers of Jesus Christ but we never are alone. God the Father certainly "came through". He is the ultimate in staying by your side and never abandoning you. It might be the loneliest time in your life but He will let you know He's there even if it feels like He's not.

The word of God says in 1 Peter 1:6,7  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

We'll suffer a lot of things for Christ's sake but they will serve to mature us even more and make us ready for Jesus return. When we're going through we ask ourselves why. We ask God why. We become frustrated and discouraged and we even get embarrassed about our situation as well. Look at things this way. there is no one perfect. Our trials may be different from others trials and even when we say as God's people things should never be this way, God wants us to be happy because it happened because we are true children of God. Let's realize that we have a path to go through and that path is not an easy one but passing these tests will increase our faith for future trials when we would have learned to trust Jesus through the darkest and most bitter moments in our lives.