Betrayal-Bitterness

I can’t imagine being Jesus and Judas, someone who had been with Him as a close disciple comes and betrays Him, hands Jesus over to the enemy. What would it feel like at that moment? I can’t imagine the hurt and pain of that. Betrayal happens, and it is when you least expect it, it happens and it happens at times from people you could never imagine it happening from. Have you been there? Jesus Understands Your Pain. Have you been hurt, betrayed and rejected by someone you loved? Jesus was handed over to people by a beloved friend, and these enemies of Jesus eventually grossly exaggerated His punishment for something He did not even do. This happens to people, often because of our human condition. Do you understand the pain of betrayal? Been betrayed, rejected and falsely accused, and punished in a way that is so outrageously wrong? Look To Jesus! Did Jesus get bitter? No. He didn’t. He stayed focused on His mission. Bitterness always runs right behind betrayal, trying to push the door of your soul open and invade your spirit with its darkness.

At that moment Judas, his once-trusted disciple, appeared, along with a large crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent to arrest Jesus by order of the ruling priests and Jewish religious leaders. Now, Judas, the traitor, had arranged to give them a signal that would identify Jesus, for he had told them, “Jesus is the one whom I will kiss. So seize him!” Judas quickly stepped up to Jesus and said, “Shalom, Rabbi,” and he kissed him on both cheeks . “My beloved friend,” Jesus said, “is this why you’ve come?” Then the armed men seized Jesus to arrest him. Matthew 26:47-50

If we let bitterness come in, following a betrayal, it is because we are taking matters into our own hands, we don’t trust God with the situation that has knocked us off our feet, we don’t trust that He can make crooked places straight, that He is a God of soul healing, restoration and reconciliation. Jesus was the greatest reconciler ever to walk this earth. He came here to us, and purposefully to give His life for us, so we could be reconciled with our Father God. Bitterness did not derail this plan. God has a destiny for our lives, and I pray we do not let bitterness derail us from what we were created to be and do in the time we have been given. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, shaped and purposefully placed by God, He has things for us to accomplish and we can’t let the enemy of our soul derail us by bitterness.

Jesus is the way out of the bitterness snare that is set for us after we have been betrayed. Jesus said this: “I am the Gateway. To enter through me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction. A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow! I am the Good Shepherd who lays down my life as a sacrifice for the sheep.” John 10:9-11

When we react, to betrayal with bitterness, we think that will make things right, balance things out. The people who hurt us, we want to retaliate, we want them to hurt like we hurt. We take justice into our own hands. Bitterness takes over our soul like a stanky sickness. This is not the way of Jesus. There was not an ounce of bitterness in Jesus after Judas betrayed Him. He knew the pain and hurt of betrayal. Jesus knew what was ahead and He knew what He had to do for us, so He did not get self-focused on his hurt and pain, He put it aside for us, He focused on His mission to save us. Jesus was more interested in us than Himself, He was selfless. Life is a gift and it is not about us, but for Jesus, living in that vital-vertical relationship with Jesus, we can side step the snares of our enemy, we can say no to bitterness and YES to trusting God.

Self-focus after being betrayed is a trap of the enemy of your soul. Have you been betrayed, hurt, rejected? Bitterness is the enemies way and his motive is to kill, steal and destroy you, but GOD, He came to give you life, in that abundant kind of way, of joy, peace and hope. Look up to Jesus, He understands. He will comfort you, He will guide you through it, He is your Justice. Don’t take justice in your own hands through bitterness, it will not end well for you. Trust Jesus, He is a Way-Maker God like no other. Shake off bitterness before it takes root and snares you in sin.

Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many. Hebrews 12:15

Bitterness is dark, it darkens our soul and takes root. Yes, there is hurt in betrayal and if you have been falsely accused, you want to make that crooked place straight, but God is the only One Who can do that. The way Jesus wants us to handle betrayal is not to react with bitterness, but to do the opposite to forgive and show mercy. Forgive them. Love those who have hurt you and persecuted you, pray for them, and God in His timing will set you free, will make crooked places straight, and will vindicate you.

I will go before you and level the mountains [to make the crooked places straight]; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name. Isaiah 45:2-3

Forgiveness is powerful. For Jesus it was the first step into the ultimate defeat of the enemy of our soul. Forgiveness kicks bitterness out of your soul. This is God’s way. Jesus, He took all the sins of the world on Him, and He died our death, so we could live His life. The greatest act of forgiveness ever known to mankind was on the cross of Jesus Christ. Our King of Heaven, The One, falsely accused, the One hanging between two thieves, innocent in every way, He died for us. Then He Said This: 'While they were nailing Jesus to the cross, he prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Luke 23:34
Forgiveness, we can’t wrap our minds around it, it doesn’t always make sense, it is not what we would choose after being rejected and betrayed, but it is right. It is the right choice. The SONshine light of God’s truth is a light that lights up the darkness of bitterness and bring forth the reality of truth, that in forgiveness there comes the newness of life.

Yes, you have been hurt and falsely accused, you want people to know your point of view, to vindicate yourself, to know you have been betrayed, to know you have been hurt, but this doesn’t matter as much, because if you let bitterness in your soul, it takes up residence. Bitterness makes us so self-focused, so it can grow into a full blown bitterness as it occupies our soul emotions, our thoughts, our words and actions and it pushes out compassion, unconditional love and mercy and leaves the door wide open for anger and hatred. Two thieves on the cross, both deserving to die. One was bitter, the other chose Jesus over bitterness:

One of the criminals hanging on the cross next to Jesus kept ridiculing him, saying, “What kind of Messiah are you? Save yourself and save us from this death!” The criminal hanging on the other cross rebuked the man, saying, “Don’t you fear God? You’re about to die! We deserve to be condemned. We’re just being repaid for what we’ve done. But this man—he’s done nothing wrong!” Then he said, “I beg of you, Jesus, show me grace and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom!” Jesus responded, “I promise you—this very day you will enter paradise with me. Luke 23:39-43

The sad part, the trickery of the enemy, is that bitterness has a mirror effect, it makes you just like the person you are bitter towards, just like the person who has betrayed you and hurt you, and it takes you captive to the condemnation of them, to getting even, to making your own retributive justice, which never works out in the end and definitely does not make you feel better. It is a dead end.

Have you been hurt, betrayed by someone you loved, been treated cruelly for something you did not deserve. Wait on God, let be and give God the time He needs to work in the unseen for your good and His glory. Turn to God, lament with God, give it to God and let Him heal your soul. Say No to bitterness, YES to Jesus, His way, truth and abundant life.

Dig Deeper:
https://rumble.com/vam491-be-best-be-better-dont-be-bitter.html
https://rumble.com/vahybj-wow-people-are-mean-in-times-such-as-these.html

https://thebridegroomscafe.com/rejected-despised/
The root of bitterness can turn you into a very judgmental, self-righteous person, that makes horrible decisions in order to feed the bitterness within.