How To Trust After Being Betrayed: Part 1

How do you trust after being hurt by someone in whom you had placed complete and total trust?

If you look up the word trust you will find it is defined as reliance upon the character and ability of another person or thing. When a person has caused their character or ability to be questioned can there be a recovery? Can there again be a time when you trust as you did before the letdown or betrayal?

We know there is no such thing as a perfect person. There is not a human being or human institution on this earth who won't eventually disappoint you at some point. Does this mean we never trust anyone or anything? If we know disappointment is in our future does it necessarily undermine our ability to rely on someone other than ourself? Can a person occasionally disappoint us yet be trustworthy in the things which really matter? There is a difference in rebuilding trust after a small letdown versus a big one isn't there?

Trust is a "big ticket item" in all of our lives. By necessity, we find ourselves in the position to trust a myriad of people everyday. We trust the person in the oncoming car won't steer his vehicle into our own. We trust the pilot won't put our plane into the ground after takeoff. We trust the cook in the kitchen didn't put rat poison in the gravy on our chicken fried steak. Like it or not we are all forced to trust. But when it comes to personal relationships, those of friendship, family or matrimony, the potential to be hurt raises the question of trust to a whole new level.

The deeper our relationship with someone the greater potential for trust to be enjoyed. On the flip side of this, the deeper our relationship with someone, the greater the potential hurt when trust is broken. Trust is inherently risky because of our imperfect nature but its potential reward and benefit to our life is beyond words to describe.

You will trust other people, things and institutions whether you want to or not. Some try to live their life as though this necessity didn't exist but as mentioned earlier, trust is a daily habit most of us do without thought or consideration. We all rely on the character and ability of others.

Part Two Tomorrow!

James