Serving God Diligently in the Face of Betrayal
God is calling us to serve despite our inconvenience and discomfort, because His top priority is the glory He will receive as our lives become more and more conformed to His image. Nate Palmer
When we experience betrayal, there are consequences involved. This was also the case for Joseph, when he was betrayed by his brothers (Genesis 37). Joseph ended up in a foreign country working as a slave to an Egyptian government official, Potiphar. Joseph's status as a slave did not diminish his love for God and his diligence in serving Him. His love for God compelled him to serve Potiphar as an act of worship of His faithful heavenly Father. This was evident in his excellent work ethic, which didn’t go unnoticed by Potiphar, who promoted him to the highest rank in his household.
The consequences of betrayal in our lives will inevitably cause hardship and pain. We lose our ability to trust others. Betrayal by a spouse may cause financial burdens, the burden of single parenthood and loneliness. Betrayal by family members or friends may cause loss of friendships, frustration, guilt and shame.
Weight of our Burdens
The weight of these burdens can cause us to blame God and stray away from Him. But God doesn’t want us to carry the weight of these burdens ourselves. He calls us to lay our burdens at His feet. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV),
“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
When we are able to give our burdens, the consequences of betrayal, to Him, we will find rest for our souls. The rest that only He can give. It is from this place of rest that we will be sustained so that we can serve Him in the spaces He has placed us.
Our service to God is an act of worship that will be a testimony of who He is and draw others to Him. Joseph diligently served God despite his circumstances because He knew that God’s presence and favour were with him. He had unwavering confidence that the Lord would fulfil His promises to him.
Psalm 90:17 (ESV) says,
“Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”
This Psalm is a prayer that Moses prayed for the people of Israel before they entered the promised land. He prayed that the Lord would have mercy on them and bless the work of their hands. The work they did as an offering to Him.
The consequences of the betrayal we experience cause heartache and pain, but we know that when the Lord carries our burdens, we will have the strength to carry on. We will have the confidence that His favour is upon our lives as we look to Him and serve Him. As we worship Him in our place of discomfort and distress.
If we believe that God wants us happy above all else, rather than acknowledging that our role is to serve God, we wrongly believe that God exists to serve us. God becomes a means to our end: happiness.” Craig Groeschel
Reflection
Take time to think about the consequences of the betrayal you’ve gone through. Will you continue to serve God in the midst of these circumstances? Will you trust Him to bless the work of your hands?
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, You know the betrayal I’ve experienced. You know what I am dealing with at the moment because of it. Father, take these heavy burdens from me and give me Your rest and peace. Help me to serve You despite these hardships. I offer my service to You as an act of worship and pray that You will be glorified. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
