Have you ever had someone break the trust you had given them?
*boyfriend
*friend
*pastor
*confidant
*child
*mentor
*husband
We’ve probably all experienced that at one point or another in our lives. It hurts. It stings. It bites.
There’s no easy bandage or fix. It takes time to repair and mend that break.
Trust is only earned or rebuilt over time.
When I first began teaching at the Westside campus, I was continually met with these stares that I couldn’t figure out. They were not glares like they were upset with me, it was just a look that confused me. After weeks of praying about what the looks were all about, God revealed it was because the class didn’t trust me.
That made such sense. Why should they trust me? Most of them never had one person who was consistently trustworthy in their lives. Now here I was saying, “trust God, trust me, trust, trust, trust!”
After a month of studies together a girl and I were in deep conversation one day and she said it, “I don’t trust you!” She wasn’t mad. She wasn’t ugly. She was just stating the fact.
I assured her that she could, but I knew that trust would have to be earned over time. Fast forward one year. I get a phone call from that same “I can’t trust you” girl and she was needing counsel and advice. She started off our conversation, “Alene, I’m calling you because you are the only one I can trust.”
Earning someone’s trust is worth the wait. It’s worth the loyalty. It’s worth the time.
Trust is so valuable. Without it, our words and actions have no impact on others.
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This made me smile. Earning trust is such a huge thing. HUGE!! I know you are a blessing in that girl's life. You are a blessing in my life!
When my husband and I started teaching the teens at our church, we noticed the same strange look! We couldn't figure it out for awhile, and I definitely think it was just that they didn't trust us. They'd been hurt several times before. It does take time. Thanks for encouragement!
Well said Alene! Thanks for sharing a personal testimony also. Often people DON'T have someone they can turn to in times of need that they can truly trust. I'm glad she had you!
Can I be honest with you? It's not just with young people. Coming from an abusive childhood and later being betrayed by friends and in relationships I can tell you that TRUST was very hard for me. Truth is I had to LEARN that I could fully trust GOD and then I was able to trust certain individuals He put in my path. It's still a battle to trust people with my heart fully but I trust God fully with my heart…my life…my all.
Blessings to you!