Raised to Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk AwaySample

After The Betrayal

One of the most common causes of the desire to quit is a sense of being betrayed. Someone we considered a brother or sister in Christ has cheated us, lied to us, or double-crossed us.

Is this resonating with you?

Let me sit with you in that tension right where you are in this moment. I have been hurt too. I have been wronged, talked about, betrayed, overlooked, misjudged.

And do you know who else is right there with us? Jesus.

John Bevere, in The Bait of Satan, wrote from Jesus’s point of view, “In My greatest hour of need, My closest friends deserted Me. Judas betrayed Me, Peter denied Me, and the rest fled for their lives. Only John followed from afar. I had cared for them for over three years, feeding them and teaching them. Yet as I died for the sins of the world, I forgave. I released all of them—from My friends who had deserted Me to the Roman guard who had crucified Me. They didn’t ask for forgiveness, yet I freely gave it.”

I am so glad Jesus didn’t run. I think all the time about how grateful I am that Jesus took on that cross for the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2).

If you are a follower of Jesus, you have joy set before you, too. This suggests immediate action: Forgive what you can in the moment. Because God wants to free us from the chains of bitterness and unforgiveness, and it is worth every attempt to contend for forgiveness and reconciliation in the family of God.

It may seem like there’s a Judas sitting at your table. But your Jesus is there too. And he has shown you what to do.

Write a letter to the person who has hurt you, or whom you have hurt, and put everything on paper that you’d want to say to them but aren’t able to right now. Put it in an envelope, seal it shut, and pray over it as you give the person and situation over to the Lord. You may never send this letter, but it’s a great way to name your pain rather than letting the offense become a deep wound.