“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
I’ve had anxiety over many hard things in my life. But some of the most difficult situations are the ones where someone I thought I could count on broke my trust and my heart.
You only have to be betrayed one time to start feeling angst and fear over the risks of relationships.
I remember being a young child on the playground at school, and a girl who I thought was my friend started making fun of me in front of the “cool kids.” I’ll never forget the feeling I had when they walked away together, all laughing, and she didn’t look back at me.
I think that was the first time I realized sometimes people just want what they want, and if they hurt me in the process of getting it, they can justify that because they feel it's worth more than their relationship with me.
Maybe you have a story of broken trust like this.
In the Bible, the Hebrew word for “trustworthy” is batah. When that word is directed toward God, it’s always in a positive sense. But when that same word refers to human relationships, it often has a negative connotation, carrying the sense that people will not always be trustworthy.
The trustworthy nature of God is certain. Sometimes the trustworthy nature of others is not. This doesn’t mean trust is impossible with others, but it does mean all relationships will need to be handled with grace, wisdom, forgiveness, healthy boundaries, and an understanding of how trust works.
If you’re walking through trust issues on any level today, consider what my friend Dr. Joel Muddamalle once said in a conversation about getting over heartbreak, hurt and disappointment: “One of the most powerful prepositions in the Bible is the word ‘through.’”
The Israelites had to go through the Red Sea to escape Egypt.
They had to go through the wilderness to the promised land.
Jesus had to go through the suffering of the cross for our redemption.
Isaiah 43:2 also says: “When you pass through the waters, [God] will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (emphases added).
Sometimes we have to walk through something even when we desperately want to get over it quickly. Going through gets us to the other side with a greater understanding that God has always been and will always be with us.
I know it’s tempting to isolate. The story I used to tell myself was that relationships were just a recipe for eventual pain, and I didn’t want to experience that pain again; therefore, the risks of trusting others were too high. If you were to share similar concerns with me today over coffee, I would listen with great understanding and zero judgment. Working through broken trust is hard. But, friend, it is possible to trust God even when we have doubts about what He’s doing.
And I know you will make it to the other side. You didn’t choose what happened when others broke your trust. But you do get to choose how you move forward. You will heal. You will get through this. And you won’t be alone for a single part of it.
Heavenly Father, I give You my anxieties, fears and doubts related to trust. I don’t have to feel ashamed that I have trust issues. I also don’t have to move forward more quickly than I’m ready to. But at the same time, I’m not going to make excuses for not healing. I’m taking one step at a time, moving forward with You on this journey of growing in trust. Give me the courage, wisdom and hope I need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Lysa TerKeurst
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
