Have you ever felt like you had been double crossed by a friend? I think it happens to the best of us.Wounds like that cut deep and can take years to overcome. It leaves you shocked and in awe of what even happened and it makes you leary of anyone else close to you. I have been there several times and it never gets easy.
Jesus was double-crossed. He was at the Last Supper with his beloved disciples, shortly after He had washed all of their feet and He quoted these words; "He who shared my bread has turned against me." (John 13:18) Jesus knew that Judas would betray him yet he loved them anyway. Jesus could have pointed at Judas and called him out...he could have made quite the scene but he didn't. His love for people far exceeded his need to be right and justified. WE are called to love people....even the ones who hurt us.
Love is a verb...an action verb...not just a saying. It requires action from us to truly love people and in times of hurt that is really hard to do. Yet Jesus reminds us of our greater purpose, "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:34-35.
People are watching you and that isn't the only reason to live right...but it is one to think about. Living the way that Jesus taught us will bring joy and perfect peace into your life. If you react emotionally and lash out at others it only makes you feel worse later. It is normal to be upset and to feel crummy when a friend does you wrong but we need to look to the example that Jesus set before us.
Jesus loves with an unconditional love and we can too. My prayer is that you start blessing your enemies and in time forgive them and declare great things over their life. Before you know it you will have released the hold that the hurt had over you and you will be free. Free to love again and free to trust again. Because in life you will be double-crossed not once but multiple times and we have to get out there and be vulnerable again and again in order to live the way that God intended us to live.
My friend you were made for this.
Graciously Adorned
❤ Jonna
