Betrayal

Such a nasty word; such an ugly connotation. What an image BETRAYAL portrays!! Whenever we hear the word, most of us can immediately think of a time in our lives when we were betrayed by someone we trusted. Perhaps it was a co-worker, a friend, or even a relative. Regardless of who hurt us, the pain runs deep. No one likes to be betrayed. Certainly no one ever asks for it. Yet undoubtedly, we have all experienced this pain in one form or another.

As you relive the emotional roller coaster (or perhaps you may even be in the thrusts of the situation now), anger and bitterness, hurt and humiliation, raw physical pain sweep over you. If you have never dealt with the betrayal – never completely turned it over entirely to the Lord – your heart still hurts from the pain inflicted upon you.

Yet as we look to Jesus for our example of how to live out every situation, we find a very unique perspective of betrayal. You see, the one that ultimately betrayed Jesus – arguably more than anyone else – was Judas. Judas turned Jesus over to be crucified for thirty pieces of silver. And yet, Jesus knew in advance not only that He would be betrayed, but by whom…and He chose him anyway.

When Jesus chose His twelve (12) disciples, He knew exactly who they were, and more importantly, what their hearts were like. He knew exactly what He was doing when He made His choices, yet He still chose the specific twelve for a purpose. He knew that Judas would betray Him, yet He still chose to walk with Him everyday. They shared meals together, laughed and cried together, lived life together. And when the time came for Judas to carry out the betrayal, Jesus chose not only to continue loving him, but ultimately to forgive.

So I wonder who in your life you need to forgive today. Who has betrayed you? Who has hurt you so deeply that you have chosen to walk away and cut them out of your life forever? Although I most definitely an advocate of setting healthy boundaries for ourselves, I also see the need for forgiveness. You see, forgiveness doesn't say that what the person that hurt you did was right or even okay, but it does release you from the pain and bitterness that ultimately turns your heart black and cold. Forgiveness is what Christ asks of us. It was the choice He made, and He is our perfect example.

Jesus loves unconditionally – while even knowing in advance all of the sins that we will commit. Yet He chooses to forgive us and continue in relationship with us. He wants to walk with us daily, even when we betray Him again and again with our words and our actions. If He can forgive us of so much, who are we to stand in such judgment of someone else? I urge you today, brothers and sisters, choose forgiveness. Choose to walk in the freedom that true forgiveness brings. You will be amazed at how good it feels!!