Everyone forgets at times and might let someone down. But if we are constantly doing so, we need to check ourselves. It is important to have someone in our lives that we have given permission to be totally honest with us without recourse.   

Christians are to be speakers of truth, and to speak this truth with love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to “do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

But sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between being wise about our trust and being overly self-protective out of past fear or hurt. If we find ourselves reluctant to trust anyone to any extent, we are wise to ask God to heal our wounded hearts.

The Bible gives advice about trusting others after we’ve been hurt. Trusting God is the first, important step. When we know that, no matter what men do to us, God will always be there, faithful and true, it is easier to handle betrayal or disappointments. Psalm 118:6 says, “The Lord is on my side, I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Reading God’s Word with attention to the ways He describes His own faithfulness and trustworthiness will be helpful to us. Prayer is vital. Particularly if we feel like God has betrayed our trust by allowing us to be hurt, we need to be reminded of His truth and comforted by His love.

If a person repeatedly betrays our trust unrepentantly, we do not have to continue to associate with her/him or her to make ourselves vulnerable to them. Yet we also should not harbor bitter ness or allow that person’s actions to hinder our relationships with other people (Hebrews 12:14–15).

Trusting others is not always natural or easy. We are wise to take time to get to know others and not readily give them our complete trust. Such trustworthiness has to be empowered by the Holy Spirit at work in the believer’s life (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As we learn to trust others, we should continually strive to be trustworthy ourselves. We should be a safe place for others (Proverbs 3:29) and keep confidences (Proverbs 11:13). We should be known for our honesty (Proverbs 12:22) and a willingness to suffer with a friend Proverbs 17:17).