Has Your Reputation Been Questioned
Have you ever been wrongly accused? Has your good name been challenged?
Unfair accusations can wreck your credibility and destroy professional and personal relationships. They can also impact your mental health every time you wonder what others might be thinking or saying about you.
I’ve lived through this kind of pain. Years ago, someone I considered a close friend made me carry the guilt for something she had done. Rumors spread, even among my church friends. Although the incident happened long ago, I still remember how devastated I felt. It took years of hard work for me to heal from this experience.
As I sought counseling and spent hours praying, reading my Bible and memorizing and meditating on Scripture, I became confident that, one day, things would be okay. To get there, I faced formidable obstacles.
Thankfully, Psalm 18:29 (ESV) says,
For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.
The first obstacle I had to overcome was my own recklessness. I should have set better boundaries with this person. My lack of boundaries contributed to the pain I experienced. Because of this, I asked God to forgive my lack of prudence and give me wisdom in future relationships.
Because I was still vulnerable to making foolish choices, especially when influenced by less-than-trustworthy people, I placed myself under the accountability of biblically-grounded people I could trust. Although it would be painful, I knew I had to break off all communication with her. Whenever I was tempted to reach out to her, my accountability partners helped me stick to my resolve.
The highest wall I had to overcome was unforgiveness. To find victory over the bitterness, I prayed to forgive the friend who had betrayed my trust. It’s no coincidence that the more I learned to show mercy instead of repaying evil for evil (even in my thoughts), the more stable I became.
How can you apply Psalm 18 in your circumstances (past or present)? If you’ve experienced similar emotions, don’t let rejection, paranoia and unforgiveness destroy you.
God’s grace can help you advance against any troop and leap over every wall. I sincerely pray that you will experience God’s grace and wisdom on your journey.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Your comment might also benefit others.)
- What are some walls or obstacles you’ve faced when you’ve been unfairly accused or misunderstood?
- How can you apply Psalm 18 to your current or past circumstances?
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Forgiveness frees us to live in the present. The forgiver is the primary beneficiary.
Indeed. Well said, Arthur. Nice to see you again!
How did it affect you when someone questioned your reputation?
I believe that anytime you stand for truth, you are vulnerable to this. The best way to conquer this is to depend on God in it. Obviously, in your situation, you had church friends and prayer warriors backing you and keeping you accountable in your vulnerability! That’s wonderful! We need to focus on what God is thinking about us, not what others think and be accountable in what He wants of us in these situations! I’m sorry this happened to you! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” 1 Corinthians 15:57 Thanks for sharing Sheryl! ✝️
Amen, Kim. I’m thankful I had prayer warriors standing with me through that time. I would have sunk had I not. It was a very painful time.
I remember when I was blessed with a miracle, I had never felt so strong in such a short amount of time. I had to sell my house and didn’t know where or how I was going to live or even get by. After He heard my prayers, I felt like no matter where I live, God’s got me. I remember thinking that I could even live under a bridge and I would still be OK!
Wow! Praise God for His faithfulness revealed to you – right when you needed it, Kathleen.
I remember when I was in my teens, there was about 10 of us close friends, and one of them ran away. Her mother called my mom and was very concerned and my mother asked me if I knew where her daughter was and I really had no idea. Apparently the other nine friends were talking amongst themselves and one of them knew where she was. One of them called me and told me where she was and my mom said I had to go get her. So the girl who ran away mother drove me to the location where they said I could find her. now all of a sudden, this girl who ran away is very upset with me and nobody else would speak up so I had to take the blame. I will never forget that.
Hi, Kathleen. Welcome to Today Can Be Different.
I’m so sorry you went through that. It sounds like a complicated and painful situation. In the years since, were any of the relationships restored?
(Thank you for stopping by. I hope to see you often.)
I’ve learned to just walk away. God gently reminds me, He loves them too. It’s ‘s hard to hold unforgiveness if you make praying for them a priority.
Exactly!! Praying – sincerely praying – for our “enemies” changes our hearts in a profound way.
Thank you for stopping by, Delores. And welcome to Today Can Be Different.