The Deepest Wounds
August 28, 2024
But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
Psalm 55:16 (ESV)
Where do you go when you are wounded by someone close to you?
Enemies may insult you, but you often have your guard up with an enemy. The deepest wounds can come not from enemies, but from friends and family.
Friends and family have the ammunition to hurt you. You have opened the doors of your heart to them, letting your guard down and exposing your most vulnerable places. Maybe it is a spouse who leaves for someone else, friends who aren’t there when you need them most, or a parent who abandons you.
In Psalm 55, King David shows us that he knows the betrayal of a friend. David has many enemies. But the worst ones are his closest friends with whom he once enjoyed “sweet fellowship” (Psalm 55:13-14). He wants to run from the anguish and escape the pain (v. 6-8). So David runs – not away from his hurt, but to His Lord who saves.
The word “save” in this verse is from Hebrew which means “to deliver”. It means to bring someone out of harm into a spacious place of abundance and victory.
When someone you love wounds you, you can always take refuge in the friendship of God. God is steadfast in His love for you, and His love is bigger than any betrayal, rejection, or hurt you may be suffering. Running to Him means you can experience abundance and victory even amid betrayal.
God remains faithful, strong, and true, even if everyone else fails you. When you choose to trust God with your deepest hurt, He frees you from feeling stuck or trapped and brings you into a spacious place.
God also brings you victory, and you can resist the temptation to hold a grudge or take matters into your own hands. You can rest in Him, knowing that He is the only one worthy to judge and execute justice on your behalf. Call to God, rest in Him, and exchange betrayal and hurt for abundance and victory.
Prayer: Dear God, I run to You in times of betrayal. Thank You for being a refuge of abundance. Please forgive me for the times that I run from pain instead of running to You. Help me to trust You when I am deeply hurt and to forgive instead of withdraw or retaliate. In Jesus’ name, amen.