Have you ever felt let down by people you trust and love? Perhaps you have been betrayed by family, friends or colleagues at work. Jesus was also betrayed by those He loved, cared for and served with. Praise God that He empathises with our personal pain. Let’s lift up our hurts, dismay and disappointments to Him in prayer.
(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 背叛) | 繁體中文 > 背叛 )
Hebrews 4:15 ESV For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
A prayer over betrayal
“Dear Heavenly Father,
You know everything even before I say a thing. You know the hurt I feel as a result of betrayal and broken trust. Thank you that I can cry out to You in the midst of my pain and You are quick to give me Your ear and comfort. I can praise You that even if those closest to me forsake me, You will never leave me.
Psalm 27:10 ESV For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.
I lift all my grief, hurts, and complaints to You, (please tell God everything you feel). I know I can tell You everything. I choose not to do evil and gossip, slander, and curse others. Thank you for being close to me in my troubles. Right now, the pain and anger I feel are overwhelming! Please give me strength as I choose to give it up to Jesus Christ, who is my Healer.
Psalm 34:13-18 ESV Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Father, I leave judgment and righteousness to You alone. I know I have my own sins and am not perfect myself. How many times I have also betrayed Your love by turning my back on You and choosing to do things my own way.
James 4:11-12 ESV Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
I do not want to let any root of bitterness from this betrayal to take hold in my heart and poison my thinking and views of others. Help me to forgive those who have offended me, as You have forgiven me too.
Hebrews 12:15 ESV See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
I confess areas in my life that I have allowed Satan to gain a foothold in, that will distract me from Your goodness. I ask for your forgiveness. Please forgive me for …(fill in the blank) My flesh is weak but my spirit is willing to follow You.
I choose to spend my energy and time in worship and praise instead. I lift up Your most Holy Name. Only You can redeem my pain, hurts and sins, and restore my heart.
Holy Spirit, please come and sanctify me. Thank you for being my Helper and my Friend.
2 Timothy 2:21 ESV Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 ESV Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will continue to praise God and refuse to give in to Satan’s temptation to let emotions, such as hatred, bitterness, resentment, and a lust for revenge run unchecked. Such emotions are not from the Holy Spirit, who only leads me into forgiveness, peace, and freedom from other people’s sins. It doesn’t matter what people do to me, it matters much more how I choose to respond. I choose to be more like Jesus, and less like my old self, which has been crucified to the cross.
Galatians 5:22-25 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
Thank you, God, that You will work things out for my good. Even now, I am learning what true forgiveness really means and about the greatness of Your grace.
Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
May my life be a living sacrifice for You. I submit to Your higher ways even though I don’t understand why bad things happen sometimes.
Mould me and make me more like You each day.
In Jesus’ name, amen.“