Mistrust - March 2, 2015

 

1 John 4:18 ESV      There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Romans 15:13 ESV      May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Jeremiah 17:5 ESV      Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.

I'm am by no means a relationship expert....as a matter of fact I am single now because I allowed my character defects to get the better of me and they managed to erode a new foundation in a very short matter of time.....

What I am is...not stupid! I listened and I learned from every detour and bump. I learned to release resentments ( a most toxic and tragic poison that manages to kill the bloom and the roots) Any and all information that I provide in these next few days is based on very personal and painful firsthand knowledge.

Please let me say that I work as a counselor by profession and I know that lives, hopes and dreams are often hung on the information that I provide. I  do painstaking study on each topic and I take each topic seriously ...and again this information is based on that study and some very hard life lessons.

It humanly impossible  for even your closest friends to be totally trustworthy and love unconditionally, but someone else can -- Jesus Christ, the Son of God. His love for you is overwhelming and He was appointed  to live a perfect life for all of us in this imperfect world. He knows all our sin and need for help. In love, He lived, died, and rose from the dead so all who place their trust in Him have forgiveness of sins and the perfection of heaven. While we have broken our trust relationship with Him, He will never fail us. We can trust Him, His love, His forgiveness, and His help in every situation while we live in a hurting world.

So while you are focused on your personal hurt and pointing the finger of betrayal...it needs to be pointed in a mirror....because the reality of the situation is YOU let YOU down....You chose to put more stock in a human than you do in the Creator and Sustainer  of the situation as a whole.

Here are a few things to consider when doing self-examination:

• Confirm the facts. Do you have all the facts? Could a misunderstanding or misinformation cost you the relationship? As you learn the facts, calmly share your hurts as well as listen. 
• Don’t suppress emotions. Emotions are a gift from God and aren’t sins in and of themselves, but they can lead to sin. For instance, the Bible, God’s true Word, says, “In your anger do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26)  God doesn't suggest suppressing emotions, only controlling our expression of them.
• Seek wisdom.  Pray for discernment in dealing in dealing with future relationship issues. Know God desires to help you make wise decisions.
• Learn to forgive. Too often people wrongly believe when forgiving they’re accepting the act. No sin is right, but every sin can be forgiven. Forgiveness releases the burden and lets you move on, free from the weight of an unforgiving heart. When struggling to forgive, consider your own sins—even your choice not to trust God, who has chosen to offer you full and free forgiveness through his Son, Jesus Christ. From Christ’s act of love, you too can learn to forgive, just as you have been forgiven. 
• You can trust again. While trusting makes you vulnerable, if you choose not to trust, you could miss out on so much joy God desires for you. You were created for relationships based on both trust and forgiveness. You may move slower in trusting others, but don’t let fear steal your joy and imprison you in anger and hurt. You can trust again … with God’s help.