I found this article when i'm in a depression. And it had helped me to see things from a different perspective. I'm still learning to forgive and let go though the hatred and wrath is rooting in my heart. It's hard and times heal nothing. I can only turn to Him. Thought of sharing it with my readers, hoping it will guide you in some way too.
"Get up, we must go. Here comes the man who has turned against me." (Matthew 24:46)
The words were spoken to Judas. But they could have been spoken to anyone. They could have been spoken to John, to Peter, to James. They could have been spoken to Thomas, to Andrew, to Nathanael. They could have been spoken to the Roman soldiers, to the Jewish leaders. They could have been spoken to Pilate, To Herod, to Caiaphas. They could have been spoken to every person who praised him last Sunday but abandoned him tonight.
Everyone turned against Jesus.
Though the kiss was planted by Judas, the betrayal was committed by all. Every person took a step, but no one took a stand. As Jesus left the garden he walked alone. The world had turned against him. He was betrayed.
Betray. The word is an eighth of an inch above betroth in the dictionary, but a world from betroth in life. It's a weapon found only in the hands of one you love. Your enemy has no such tool, for only a friend can betray. Betrayal is mutiny. It's a violation of a trust, an inside job.
Would that it were a stranger. Would that it were a random attack. Would that you were a victim of circumstances. But you aren't. You are a victim of a friend.
A sandpaper kiss is placed on your cheek. A promise is made with fingers crossed. You look to your friends and your friends don't look back. You look to the system for justice - the system looks to you as a scapegoat.
You are betrayed. Bitten with a snake's kiss.
It's more than rejection. Rejection opens a wound, betrayal pours the salt.
It's more than loneliness. Loneliness leaves you in the cold, betrayal closes the door.
It's more than mockery. Mockery plunges the knife, betrayal twists it.
It's more than an insult. An insult attacks your pride, betrayal breaks your heart.
Betrayal...when your world turns against you.
Betrayal...where there is opportunity for love, there is opportunity for hurt.
When betrayal comes, what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. Let's see how Jesus dealt with it.
Begin by noticing how Jesus saw Judas. "Jesus answered, 'Friend, do what you came to do.'" (Matthew 26:50)
Of all the names I would have chosen for Judas it would not have been "friend." What Judas did to Jesus was grossly unfair. There is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn't turn to one another and whisper, "It's Judas. Jesus told us he would do this."
They didn't whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful.
It's even more unfair when you consider the betrayal was Judas's idea. The religious leaders didn't seek him, Judas sought them. "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?" he asked. (Matthew 26:15). The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn't. He propositioned them.
And Judas's method...again, why did it have to be a kiss? (Matthew 26:48-49)
And why did he have to call him "Teacher"? (Matthew 26:49). That's a title of respect. The incongruity of his words, deeds, and actions - I wouldn't have called Judas "friend."
But that is exactly what Jesus called him. Why? Jesus could see something we can't. Let me explain.
Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan's whispers (he had just heard them himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.
He didn't justify what Judas did. He didn't minimize the deed. Nor did he release Judas from his choice. But he did look eye to eye with his betrayer and try to understand.
As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released and that prisoner is you.
Perhaps you don't like that idea. Perhaps the thought of forgiveness is unrealistic. Perhaps the idea of trying to understand the Judases in our world is simply too gracious.
My response to you then is a question. What do you suggest? Will harboring the anger solve the problem? Will getting even remove the hurt? Does hatred do any good? Again, I'm not minimizing your hurt or justifying their actions. But I am saying that justice won't come this side of eternity. And demanding that your enemy get his or her share of pain will, in the process, be most painful to you.
May I gently but firmly remind you of something you know but may have forgotten? Life is not fair.
That's not pessimism, it's fact. That's not a complaint, it's just the way things are. I don't like it. Neither do you. We want life to be fair. Ever since the kid down the block got a bike and we didn't, we've been saying the same thing, "That's not fair."
But at some point someone needs to say to us, "Who ever told you life was going to be fair?"
God didn't. He didn't say, "If you have many kinds of troubles." He said, "When you have many kinds of troubles" (James 1:2). Troubles are part of the package. Betrayals are part of our troubles. Don't be surprised when betrayals come. Don't look for fairness here - look instead where Jesus looked.
Jesus looked to the future. read his words: "In the future you will see the Son of Man coming." While going through hell, Jesus kept his eyes on heaven. While surrounded by enemies, he kept his mind on his father. While abandoned on earth, he kept his heart on home. "In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky" (Matthew 26:64).
Jesus took a long look into the homeland. Long enough to count his friends. "I could ask my Father and he would give me twelve armies of angels." And seeing them up there gave him strength down here.
By the way, his friends are your friends. The Father's loyalty to Jesus is the father's loyalty to you. When you feel betrayed, remember that. When you see the torches and feel the betrayer's kiss, remember his words: "I will never leave you; I will never forget you" (Hebrews 13:5).
Think of home.
-Max Lucado; taken from "The Final Week of Jesus"
