Sheryl H. Boldt

Have you ever been falsely accused? Has your good name been challenged? 

Unfair accusations can wreck your credibility and destroy professional and personal relationships. They can also weaken your mental health each time you imagine what others might be thinking or saying about you. 

Years ago someone I considered a dear friend let me bear the guilt for something she had done. Rumors abounded, even among my church friends. Although the incident happened a long time ago, I still remember how devastated I felt. 

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 OK. But I had formidable obstacles facing me.

Thankfully, Psalm 18:29 says, “For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall” (ESV).

The first wall I had to scale was my own recklessness. I knew some of the choices I had made in the past contributed to the situation that brought me so much pain. In light of this, I asked God to forgive my lack of prudence.

This lack of prudence caused me to over-inflate what others thought of me. Knowing I was still vulnerable to making foolish choices, I placed myself under the accountability of people I could trust. Even though it would be painful, I knew I had to break off all communication with those who endangered my wellbeing.

Whenever I felt tempted to contact them, my accountability partners helped me stick to my resolve. 

The highest wall I had to scale was unforgiveness. To help gain victory over it, I prayed to forgive the friend who had betrayed my trust. It’s no coincidence that the more I learned how to extend mercy rather than repaying evil for evil (including in my thoughts), the more stable I became.

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.

And while we’re at it, let’s trust God to help us knock down some of those walls.

Sheryl H. Boldt is the author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at SherylHBoldt@gmail.com.