When I Feel Betrayed by Theresa Miller
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Remembrance is powerful. And it's Biblical.
I've read the word "remember" is used 352 times in Scripture, the different variations of it grow this total to over 550. I think it's safe to say remembering is an important part of growing our faith and our trust in God. Yet, it's what we remember which determines if we grow closer or further apart.
This week, my friend, Theresa Miller, is helping us work through this for those times when we feel betrayed. Betrayal and the emotion which come is not something we must process alone. Jesus Himself was well acquainted with this same suffering, and He's offering us His peace as balm for our wounds today. Let's lean in together to Psalm 54.
Theresa is a transport from the wooded East to the wide open spaces of Wyoming in the West, where she now calls home. Nestled near the Big Horn Mountains, she first enjoys being a wife to Rob and a mom to four wonderful teenagers. Weaving words has been the creative outlet she has explored since childhood, bringing clarity to life’s complexities. Theresa kept a blog, Heavenly Glimpses: Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary Everyday Life of Motherhood from 2009 to 2014. In that timeframe, she was published on (In) Courage, Sally Clarkson’s Mom Heart blog, MOPS Ezine, and other online publications. Theresa currently serves in women’s ministries in her community as a Bible teacher and MOPS Mentor. In addition, she is a COMPEL Bible Study Writing Focus Group Leader. She authors a personal blog and her sisters blog, Dandelions, Potholes, & Wrinkles. You can find Theresa encouraging women to dig deeper to reach higher in their faith and calling on Instagram, Facebook, Substack, and at theresammiller.com.
IG: theresammillerauthor
FB: Theresa M. Miller, Writer
Professional website: www.theresammiller.com
Sisters website (Dandelion, Potholes, & Wrinkles): www.dandlionsisters.com
We’ve all tasted betrayal. Maybe you’ve encountered a trusted friend who spoke unkindly behind your back, a spouse who proved unfaithful, or a family member who defiled your trust. Betrayal is embedded in our sin nature and leaves a deep wound.
David also tasted the bitter waters of betrayal.
Just after fleeing King Saul and making a covenant with Saul’s son, Jonathan in the wilderness of Ziph, the Ziphites revealed David’s location to Saul.
Saul had been like family. After David killed Goliath with a stone and a sling, Saul had taken David into his palace, treating him like a son. Yet Saul soon became jealous of David’s success in battle and wanted him dead. If that wasn’t enough, the Ziphites were David's own people, born of the same tribe as David–the tribe of Judah. They were not strangers. They were family.
Imagine the emotional turmoil David felt toward King Saul and David’s own family line, whom he had treated with nothing but honor and respect.
Imagine the feelings of love, loyalty, and loss all mingling together in a chorus of grief.
Have you noticed how severed trust cuts off relationships and those who betray us become someone we realize we never knew? This is exactly how David felt.
Psalm 54:3 says,
For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. - Psalm 54:3
David considered anyone working against God’s purposes a stranger or foe. In this sense, the Ziphites were strangers to him.
We see these same sentiments in Jesus one thousand years later, praying to the Father over certain betrayals. Yet Jesus loved his betrayer to the end (John 13:1). His heart remained attuned to God’s purposes rather than becoming scathed by disloyalty.
Betrayal is hard. It can leave a wound that lasts a lifetime if not properly attended to. So what can we do to remain healthy-minded and free when we encounter acts of treachery?
David shows us how in Psalm 54 with five honest actions:
He makes his request known. In verse one and two, David makes his request known to God: “O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.” The key point here is that David turns to God in his distress. He trusts in the power of God’s name and strength to deliver him. Do you believe God’s name and strength has power to save you from the taunts of the evil one?
He states his case. Verse three reads, “For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah'' The key point here is that David communicates his distress as he aligns it with God's purposes. What is your case? Honestly tell God about it. Allow Him to align your heart with His purposes?
He names God’s character. David states in verse four and five, “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them.” The key point here is that David recognizes God is just and trusts Him to deal with his enemy, Because David is innocent, God will uphold him by preserving his mind, body, and soul through his trial. Do you believe God’s character can preserve your mind, body, and soul through your trial?
He praises God in advance. David states in verses five and six, “With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.” The key point here is that David praises God in light of God's character, not his circumstances. Are you willing to trust God’s character to the degree you freely praise Him regardless of an outcome?
He remembers God’s faithfulness. David remembers God's faithfulness in the final verse, “For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.” The key point here is that it is vital to remember what God has done before so we are confident of what He can do again. What has God done for you that you need to believe He is capable of doing again?
I know how badly betrayal hurts and leaves deep wounds. But our wounds are not the end of our story. God is constant. He is our helper and defender. Because of His wounds we can fully depend on Him. It is by his wounds that we are healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
Friend, grab a journal and practice writing through these five steps from your own difficult circumstance: make your request known, state your case, name God's character, praise Him in advance, and recount His past faithfulness. Allow God to fill you with His love as you openly grieve your loss.
Now, It's Your Turn!
Before opening God's Word, take a moment to pray and ask God to meet you there. Then...
Read Psalm 54 a couple times. Highlight what stands out to you.
Circle verbs or specific wording you notice.
Then, write down a bullet point takeaway based on this. "I-statements" help make this personal. Think of this as a challenge statement.
When I feel betrayed, I will allow God to fill me with His love as I openly grieve my loss. I will make my request known, state my case, name God's character, praise Him in advance, and recount His past faithfulness.
Then, jot down a question or two to think about today. You don't have to have the answer to this question now. And yield to the Holy Spirit - prayerfully ask God to search your heart and lead you to more truth and grow your faith through the Holy Spirit.
What has God done for me in the past that I need to believe He is capable of doing again?
Again, we don't have to be Bible scholars and talk only in the thou's and art's of King James version to read this book. ...because when we pray before we read, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with us, guiding and teaching us.
Praise God for this!
And praise God for refreshment as we are intentional to spend a summer in the Psalms together, for if we want His truth to ever be on our lips, it must first be planted in our hearts.
Our strength grows as we rely on strength from above. Our joy grows as we see God transforming us from the inside out. Our peace grows as we spend time in God's presence, and we find rest when we intentionally seek the Lord first in our lives, for the Lord is ever our portion.
The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.
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