Perspective, Patience and Power When Wronged
When we are wrongfully treated by someone we once trusted, extending love and forgiveness is down right impossible without perspective, patience and the power of Holy Spirit.
Over the past three years, I have endured a painful season of hurt and betrayal by people close to me. What made these incredibly painful experiences is how blindsided I felt by the other peoples’ actions. No matter how close these friendships were at one time, how much sacrifice and support I had given to them through difficult times, I realized basic human emotions such as jealousy, pride and unforgiveness can sever ties between even the best of friends when we are not careful.
These hurtful moments of betrayal in my life weighed me down and caused me to feel stuck. What helped me through these experiences was knowing I was not alone. Take Joseph. He was captured by his brothers, thrown into a well, and then sold into slavery because of their jealousy. In slavery he endured false accusations, imprisonment and being forgotten. Yet when offered an opportunity to take retribution on his brothers, who had served as the catalyst to his suffering, perspective and patience enabled him to offer love and forgiveness instead. (see Genesis 37-50)
His perspective first took a high view of God and a low view of self. Joseph asked, “Am I in the place of God?” (Genesis 50:19) His acknowledgement of God as ‘the’ Authority and not ‘an’ authority, caused him to have a low view of self. This recognition was not through a lens of negativity or self-pity, but rather in humility. Humility knows there is nothing equal or above God, and wisely closes any door on desires to advise, challenge or overrule what He has done.
His perspective also included the right view of God and self. Joseph knew God was good, not evil, and in His goodness, had a plan for his life. This stopped hurt and pain from blinding him from seeing himself as anything other than God’s conduit of grace. A grace that brought the “survival of many people” (Genesis 50:20).
Patience worked in tandem with perspective, displaying a trust in the character and promises of God that fueled faith. Faith does not waiver from the promises of God, even when it has to wait for His fulfillment. Joseph said “God planned it for good to bring about the present result “ (Genesis 50:20). “It” indicates his brother's actions done years prior to the present results now seen.
Ultimately, without the power of God, perspective and patience is not possible. Philippians 2:13 says “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. When we put our trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, He gives us His Spirit to help us live a life that honors God (John 14:6,12, 15-17, 23-26; Ephesians 1:13-14). Without these three things, I knew I would never get past the hurt and betrayal as Joseph was. Therefore, I began the hard and humbling work of yielding and surrendering daily to the power of the Holy Spirit. Through Him, and in the comfort and instruction God’s Word provided me, humility and perspective became possible.
While unlike Joseph, for now, I have not been given the opportunity to personally demonstrate love and forgiveness towards these individuals. But that doesn’t mean my heart has not been freed to carry love and forgiveness towards them even now. My hope is one day I will get to show it and be reconciled. Until then, I pray that in sharing my own personal experience of hurt and betrayal, someone reading this will desire to pursue the path of perspective, patience and power through the Holy Spirit too.
When we do, like Joseph, we will offer love and forgiveness to whoever has wronged us, and become available for God as His conduit of grace for others.
