120307

December 03, 2007

Feeling Betrayed by God

by Shana Schutte

Life rarely turns out how we want, does it? Our days on earth are a series of lots of little disappointments--a million deaths of heart over a lifetime. We want to have a new couch; we're stuck with the one our grandmother recovered with her old drapes. We want a promotion; we get demoted. We want our children to get better grades; they don't.

And then there are bigger disappointments that deeply wound our longing hearts: We want intimacy; we get misunderstanding. We want health; we get heart disease. We want fidelity; our husband trades us in for a newer model. We want children; we're childless. We want stability; unemployment looms. We want acceptance; a family member snubs us. We want to overcome an addiction; we're still struggling after a million prayers. The list goes on and on.

Because of the heartbreak that is often part of our moments, days and months, there are numerous reasons to feel betrayed by God because He hasn't shown up like we wanted.

Once we feel betrayed, we may be quick to pin a perceived injustice on Him--to believe that He is unjust, uncaring or unkind or many other lies about Him and His love for us.

During these times when we have been wounded and are reeling from heartbreak, the best way to move past feeling betrayed is to choose to trust Him. I know that may sound elementary and I'm don't mean to sound trite or flippant. However, that's what faith sometimes is, it's choosing to believe God when your emotions and mind are telling you that God hasn't been faithful and everything in your circumstances look like He's unkind.

Sometimes choosing to believe God has your best interest in mind must be done again and again while He heals what's broken inside you. Then, when your mind and emotions are healed, they'll catch up with His truth.

"Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)

www.runtogodministries.org

run to god

m i n i s t r i e s

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because

he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted."

---Jesus

a daily reflection