Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Feeling and Healing the Bitterness of Betrayal

We can give our whole lives to something and still feel like it has come to nought. We somehow find ourselves in a place where all we have contributed is being fed to the dogs of war, and there just isn’t any respect for it. What we long fought for is now no longer. The dreams that came to pass, that became real in our sight, those things that changed lives, are now compromised and perhaps made nothing. That’s how we feel.
We give over what we have to God and we ask that God would protect it, but that prayer is not always honoured, and we have no idea why. All we can know is that we gave it our best, and, even though our work is currently being digested as unpalatable and seemingly spat out, our intent will inevitably be blessed. For this we have faith and there is more than cold comfort for the matters that help us move on. And we can move on when we have said goodbye to this once precious venture, as we bid it farewell and ask God to make of it what he will. Our work will not be wasted.
Feeling and healing the bitterness of betrayal is about 1) becoming aware and feeling the feeling, and 2) trusting the Lord enough that we can let go of the bitterness by letting go of everything connected to the history we so long cherish. When we let go, God gives it back to us; cleansed and made powerful in our sight—eventually.
Feeling and healing the bitterness of betrayal is a necessary step before we can truly get on with the next step. It is wisdom to feel and to be healed, but there is surrender involved. God must be Sovereign.
When we have placed God as Sovereign over this issue, and over our entire lives in this season, the bitterness is transformed. We are healed beyond any behaviour on the other side; in fact, the other side rots—if they don’t embark on a journey of healing themselves.
Feeling and healing the bitterness of betrayal is agreeing with the truth. We are hurt or we were hurt. Whatever hurt we have or do experience, we must be honest with it. Only upon honesty will we receive the glorious grace we need for healing, which is always a miraculous work of God.
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Feeling and healing the bitterness of betrayal is the priority of the person who loves truth. They will be blessed by every work of feeling, by the Almighty’s Presence in the healing.
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.

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