Matthew 26:20-21, "When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, He said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray Me.'"
Psalm 34:18, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
The sting of betrayal - that painful, gut-wrenching, increased heart-thumping, leaves-you-reeling feeling - we've all experienced it somewhere along life's journey. This uniquely horrific hurt leads us to question ourselves. We wonder: "What's wrong with me that could cause such blatant rejection?"
Jesus knows the pain of betrayal. For nearly three years, He and His hand-selected crew of twelve men traveled together, shared countless meals, laughed, and experienced the miraculous. Despite His love, compassion, teaching, and perfection, Judas, one of Jesus' close inner circle, sold out the Savior for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Wrongly accused, arrested, and eventually crucified, the rest of His closest friends bailed on Him as well during His darkest hours. Yet, He never abandoned them - after His resurrection, He appeared to them and extended forgiveness.
When betrayal comes knocking, know that Jesus is present. He hurts for you; He feels your pain. As you seek comfort in Him, He'll guide you through the healing process to strengthen you, to make you better, not bitter. And while you can't change what happened, you can know that He'll never reject you! He accepts you as His own.
When it comes to betrayal, the old cliche, "It's not you; it's me" truly applies. The problem lies with your "Judas," not you! Forgive them and move on!
Are there people in your life that you need to forgive? While it most likely won't happen overnight, take a step towards forgiving those who've wronged you. God will use that to bring healing to your life.
Lord Jesus, Thank You for not leaving me to deal with the reeling hurt, confusion, and rejection of betrayal on my own. Please help me extend forgiveness to those who've wronged me so that I may begin to heal. Amen.