Trusting again after being let down
He had an affair; how can I ever have faith in him again? ‘
‘She kept her financial problems secret so how can I be confident she won’t do it again?’
Has something like this happened to you? Being let down by the person you care about hurts doesn’t it. Trust is the glue that binds relationships together, once that is gone it can be impossible to recover.
Trust so important. Humanity was made for connection. Soon after birth, a baby is compelled to look into the face of whoever is gazing at her seeking connection, and in a couple of months even copies expressions. A baby’s mother, in turn, responds and in turn mimics the gestures and emotions the child makes, building an important bond between them. We’re all born expecting there a dependable caregiver will meet our needs, but sadly life experiences can lead us to distrust and disconnect. Is this your experience? If so, don’t pull up the drawbridge on relationships (romantic or otherwise). Trust is a risk, yes, but the rewards are great. Finding someone we can rely on has many benefits. It can help us feel safe, can improves our confidence and communication, encourage self-confidence, meaningful connection, and better decision-making.
But for most of us the bad experiences we’ve had affects how deep and intimate we are with those we know. Marriages, family, friendships can all be affected. I’ve met people who deliberately keep others at a distance because they fear being hurt.
My faith in Christ helps overcome past rejections and hurts. I’ve found God won’t let me down and that helps when people do. I pray about all my relationships, particularly the problem ones. His love for me helps me. Jesus said, “Love each other as I have loved you.”
(John 15:12). The more I think about the close bond Jesus had with people I want that too. How about you?
Struggling with relationships? Talk with Jesus? Jesus said that it’s through him we get to know God as Father and his love. When this happens how we relate to others is transformed.
