Painted Faces - the masks people wear

Betrayal

In the night while unable to sleep due to a snoring husband, I heard Abba ask me to write about betrayal... So here goes.

   Betrayal is as old as the earth and man's life on it. It's such a cold, unkind word. Yet it happens so often – to many of us at some stage in our lives. We first saw it in the garden of Eden with Adam, Eve, the serpent – and God. Adam and Eve betrayed God – and broke His heart. Since that time we have continued to hurt each other, even ones we love, with betrayal. It's so destructive both for the betrayed and the betrayer. All too often what seems like a good idea at the time leaves a trail of devastation and brokenness in its path. But why? Why do we do this to ourselves?

Psalm 55: 12-14 says:

"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."

    You see, we are never betrayed by someone not close to us; that wouldn't be betrayal. It's much deeper than that. Psalm 55 talks about betrayal by a close friend, a fellow believer, someone you trust with deep issues of your heart, confide in and share life with. Otherwise it wouldn't hurt when they turn on you. You would expect that from an enemy – and would be able to shake it off. The person betraying you has an inner knowledge of you – your thoughts, feelings and vulnerabilities but still chooses to act in a way that will cut you deeply.

    Look at what the psalmist says: "If a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him". But it's not a foe, it's someone very hard to hide from. Because they know you. Know where you live, know how you react when hurt – they know you! So betrayal causes hurt, brokenness, exposure and despair. You can't pretend it doesn't matter because they will know that it does. So you can't even save face.

   I imagine that's how God felt in the Garden of Eden; He had given them everything, even Himself, yet they chose to listen to the serpent rather than their heavenly father. They betrayed His trust in them. Unwittingly they chose death over life. Nothing would ever be the same again. This grieved our Abba deeply and though He could have given up on us and walked away He didn't. He sent His son, Jesus, to build a bridge, to mend the breach in our relationship. He reached down from heaven and found a way. We called out for a Redeemer and He heard us.

    Are you willing to do that for the person who betrayed you? Will you forgive them, welcome them back, trust them again? Sure, not everyone wants to be forgiven or renew the relationship – but will your heart reach out to them and risk everything to mend that bridge? Can you do that?

    With your Abba you can. He's shown the way and He'll be right there with you. Reconciliation and restoration are in the heart of God and He wants you to experience it too. It brings healing and peace. It may take time for them to fully earn your trust again (and this is entirely appropriate) but that can happen too. I myself was once betrayed by a close friend – and believe me it hurt – but they are even now one of my closest friends, and one of the few I know I can trust with anything. I am so grateful we didn't give up on each other back then – imagine the friendship we would have lost! More recently I was betrayed by someone else very close to me. I have reached out but get nothing back. For now. I trust my Abba to restore all things – that is His heart after all. And God's timing alone is perfect.

    Maybe you feel you've betrayed God? Done something He won't approve of. Walked away from Him. How could you ever be a "good enough Christian" now; there's no way back, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong! Don't you hear Him whispering to your soul, feel Him running after you trying to catch your attention? He won't give up on you – ever! So why will you give up on Him? Don't listen to the lies that tell you there's no way back from this. If we were perfect already we'd have no need for Jesus. You just need to repent – and reach out to grab firmly the hand of God that's reaching down for you. He's already made the first move. He won't leave you to fall unless it's your choice to do so.