Day 14

Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Trust is easy until it’s shattered.

When betrayal breaks into your story—when someone you love, believed in, or depended on proves unfaithful—it feels like the whole foundation cracks. Suddenly you question everything:
“How could they?”
“Why didn’t I see it?”
“Can I ever trust anyone again?”

Pain turns inward. Walls go up. Cynicism replaces hope, and isolation starts to feel safer than connection. We might still smile and show up, but deep down, we decide: Never again.

But the Gospel doesn’t just heal our past; it reclaims our future.

If Jesus only came to forgive sin and not restore trust, we’d be forgiven but still afraid to love. But Jesus came to make all things new—including the part of us that feels too wounded to open up again.

A Story of Redemptive Hope: Elizabeth Elliott

(Fun irrelevant fact: I sat across from this lady on multiple occasions before her passing, she the real deal; and eerily intense at times.)

Elizabeth Elliott knew betrayal at a soul-deep level.

Her husband, Jim, was murdered by the very people they had gone to serve with the Gospel. She could have shut down, moved on, or let the bitterness rot her from the inside out. No one would have blamed her.

But two years later, Elizabeth did something unthinkable: she moved in with the very tribe that killed her husband. She forgave them. She lived among them. She shared Jesus with them.

And many of them came to Christ.

This is what grace does—it rebuilds where bitterness would rather burn it all down.

Elizabeth didn’t trust because the people were trustworthy. She trusted because God was.

This Is What the Gospel Offers

Not a reset. A resurrection.

Jesus doesn’t just hand us a second chance—He creates new hearts where trust has bled out.

You don’t have to pretend it didn’t hurt.
You don’t have to rush to reconcile what hasn’t been restored.
You don’t have to give blind trust to broken people.

But you also don’t have to live in fear.

God is near to the brokenhearted. Not in theory. In reality. Right now. Right where you sit.

And He’s the only one worthy of full trust. The cross proves that He won’t betray you. He bled to make you whole.

What This Means for Us

Trust is not rebuilt by force. It’s healed by grace.
You’re allowed to feel cautious. But you’re also invited to hope again.

People may fail you again—but that’s not the end of the story.
The same power that raised Jesus from the grave can resurrect your heart from distrust.

Do Something

Take one step toward healing today. Maybe that’s journaling what broke you. Maybe it’s opening up to a trusted friend. Maybe it’s finally admitting to God how guarded you’ve become.

Then pray this simple prayer:
“Jesus, restore what was broken in me. Teach me to trust again—not because people are perfect, but because You are.”

Your story isn’t over. Redemption isn’t just possible—it’s promised.