‎"How Can I Learn to Trust Again?"

I am often asked to respond to people telling me they've been let down, hurt, devastated and don't know how to trust people again. I get that. I have been betrayed and stabbed in the back myself...my back looks like a dart board by this point. However, we can't allow ourselves to live in that place. We have to move on if we're going to do and get all God has called us to be and have.

Along those lines, here are three keys I'd like you to understand and internalize:

(1) Actions are individual
(2) People are people
(3) You are a person, too!

Let me explain.

(1) Just because we feel like people have let us down...or people have betrayed us...doesn't mean every person will betray us. It only takes the right relationship with the right person to change everything! Hang in there!

(2) Folks are just folks. They all have the capacity to let us down. At some point, everyone will do something that hurts us deeply. No doubt. If the apostles could turn their back on the son of God, surely, regular Joe can turn his back on Mark McCray. I'm not saying don't trust anybody. I'm just saying enjoy people as best you can and extend as much grace as you can when they come up short.

(3) You are a person, too. You have hurt people. You've betrayed them. You've let them down and turned your back on them, too. Perhaps they just didn't tell you about it. Perhaps they put on a tough face when they felt like you had cut their heart out with a dagger?

Finally, I stand in agreement with you in prayer and encouragement. I pray God's grace will be with you. You may be facing some deep personal challenges. I have, too, but I have found that God can and will sustain through the crisis!

Please share this with someone you know who may be looking for a little bit of encouragement this day...and please, please, please remember to join my "Live BIG! Die Empty." Facebook page. I want to stay connected with you!