Not Trusting People

[lftc]

On 9/14/2019 at 5:50 PM, worthlessness1979 said:

Is it wrong to not trust people any more? I have closed my heart to human beings because I no longer trust them. I don't trust the motivation of other believers. When a Christian is telling, for example, that I am wrong, even if they maybe right, I don't trust that they have my best interest. They are only interested in making themselves look more righteous and holy. That is how I feel sometimes.

I am hardly around other Christians, for I don't fellowship with a congregation. And most of my friends are not even Christians. Mind you, I have very very little friends. And I just choose to stream my sermons. But the Christians I have known in the past have told that I was wrong and I shouldn't doing this or that, or I should be doing this or that. I got really angry because I did not ask them and because I don't want mere human beings correct me. I prefer that just the Bible correcting me.

But I still come on here and ask questions because I do want to know. I have in the past got offensive because some of the answers are things I did not want to hear. But I am learning to adapt to that.

So the question is, is it wrong that I have chosen not to trust people, even those who are believers? I can handle asking questions online, but I can't handle talking to people one-on-one offline. The Bible tells us to confess our sins one to another, but I do not trust that other believers will not condemn me.

 

 

Worthlessness1979,

I do not browse around these forums much, so I just came across your topic here.  I'll assume you are still interested in responses.

I understand your distrust of people.  As many observe in their responses here, people say and do things that are bad.  It is often harder to deal with christians.  But not much harder.  Everyone in the world is forgiving of the things they feel little offense at.  And viciously condemning, even murderous, of the things they feel more offense at.

My advice is to avoid being in a place of trust with those who will hurt you.  Unfortunately, it is my experience and my observation in other people's experience that the people in a church are often the most treacherous.  You can see it all over this forum, people calling for "justice" for others while basking in forgiveness for themselves.

But Jesus wants us to go out and love people.  He said that is our command.  He said that the world will know we our christians by our love.

We can't love people if we constantly avoid them. 

The best religious leaders ever (based on holy living - living by the rules) joyfully tortured and crucified Jesus.  And while in extreme agony he, the divine judge of the world, said "Father, forgive them". 

In your previous post about Empathy, you observed a terrible event in India, where a person was beaten severely.   You felt powerful empathy for the beaten person.  That is a gift from God.   That is what he feels about billions of situations around the world.  That is what he felt when they were beating him.

So to bring all these disconnected thoughts together,  I believe he calls us to join him in the most difficult thing he could ask.  Love our enemies.  Do not call out for judgement, but call out for mercy, even if it costs us or anyone more than they should ever be asked to give.   That is our God.

I hate it when the Spirit moves me to write what I know is true, but is so far beyond my ability to do.  My enemies are hideous and when I think about what they have done to the people I love, I have to fight off rage.  It helps me to remember that like your screen name, I am worthless and deserve the condemnation from God himself.  That helps me remember to live in light of Jesus' parable about the 2 debtors forgiven their debts.  And to really apply it in this realm, not just in the "sweet by and by".

If the Love that Jesus promised would unite his people is not real, then nothing in this life is worth the effort.  True worthlessness, forever. 

But right here, right now, I once again declare that I believe.

Sometimes I have to make that declaration several times a day.  So I will continue to put myself at risk by being out among people that will hurt me.  #@!%%

[Jesusispeace]

I empathize with you

i have been hurt by enough people that at this point I don’t have any friends. I mean ZERO. Not even my parents.

l wouldn’t have a single person to call I’m case of an emergency.

I don’t trust people either and when I go out with my daughter to activities I keep to myself. 
 

ive had some really close people, including my parents, those I called “sisters,” and Christians really hurt and disappoint me. 
 

though I completely agree that it’s better to put confidence in the lord above man as scripture tells us

it tells us also that it is not good for man to be alone. It seems like you are not completely alone... you have some friends and you should be wise who you let into your life that’s not wrong 

scripture also says “Proverbs 27:17 New International Version (NIV)17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

we do need other people in our lives to help us through our Christian journey and keep us sharp in faith.

I would say, it’s perfectly ok to be guarded but I wouldn’t isolate yourself either! 
 

not trusting people comes from some major pain in your heart that needs to be healed first. There is no point in thinking about others. 
this is the time to spend with God and ask him to heal the pain that’s in your heart and pray for His will for you life. And he’ll bring the right people into your life.

so you’re not wrong but don’t neglect your heart 

[Prycejosh1987]

On 9/14/2019 at 6:50 PM, worthlessness1979 said:

Is it wrong to not trust people any more? I have closed my heart to human beings because I no longer trust them. I don't trust the motivation of other believers. When a Christian is telling, for example, that I am wrong, even if they maybe right, I don't trust that they have my best interest. They are only interested in making themselves look more righteous and holy. That is how I feel sometimes.

I think you should evaluate what the person is saying and make a good judgement on it. There might be a good outcome taking advice, or not. It depends on what you get from the advice.