If you've experienced broken trust in your marriage, all hope is NOT lost. Not only can your marriage be saved, it can turn out to be healthier after such an event. It starts with having the right understanding of trust and a plan to start earning back the trust that was lost.
Talking Points:
- The “offender” needs to be humble and ready to do the hard work of earning trust back.
- The “offended” needs to extend forgiveness and take time to evaluate what they need to see in order for trust to be restored. Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12-13
- Trust has some characteristics to keep in mind. Trust is reactive to what someone else is doing, trust is measurable and it takes time to build.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you dealt with broken trust in the past? How did you deal with it?
- Are you currently dealing with a betrayal by your spouse? Specify the what, how, and if it’s an isolated event or ongoing?
- Why does the attitude of the “offender” matter? What are some examples of the wrong attitudes to have?
- What things should the “offended” be ready to evaluate? Why is that helpful?
- In your situation, which of the 3 characteristics of trust needs the most focus right now?
- Read Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:12-13. How do you think forgiveness is different from trust? Does this verse command trust? How does forgiveness help in the earning trust back phase?
- How does knowing that broken trust doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship affect they way you view your situation?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
