I Doubt It! When Christians Let you Down - Matthew 25
We’ve all been there. Maybe it was a close friend who walked away, a mentor who betrayed your trust, or a church community that hurt more than it helped. Few things sting as deeply as being let down by other Christians.
I know it’s true, because I’ve experienced it too. And if you’ve been part of the church for any length of time, I imagine you have as well.
The irony is, when the hurt comes from fellow believers—the very people who are supposed to embody Christ’s love—it shakes us in ways we never expect. It can even rattle our faith. We start asking: If God is real, why would His people wound me like this?
Jesus Knows This Pain
The good news—and the hard news—is that Jesus knows this pain better than anyone.
In Matthew 23, as Jesus moves toward the cross, he speaks to Jerusalem with raw grief:
"How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (v. 37)
This isn’t detached anger. It’s the lament of a Savior who has been rejected by the very people he came to save.
Think about it. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and abandoned by nearly all of his disciples. The crowds that hailed him as king on Palm Sunday shouted “Crucify him!” just days later. The religious leaders—the ones who knew the Scriptures inside and out—worked the hardest to silence him.
If you’ve ever felt abandoned, misunderstood, or hurt by God’s people, you’re not alone. Jesus has been there.
Broken People Break People
Part of the reality of church life is that the church is full of broken people. And broken people, left unchecked, will inevitably hurt others.
That doesn’t mean the pain is excusable. It doesn’t mean we should sweep abuse or betrayal under the rug. Sometimes boundaries are needed. Sometimes professional help is necessary. Sometimes stepping away from unhealthy situations is the holiest thing you can do.
But it does mean we shouldn’t be surprised when Christians fall short. The problem is not that we are let down—it’s that we often expect people to be perfect. And when they’re not, it shakes our faith.
The truth is, we’re all in desperate need of Jesus.
Doubt as a Path to Deeper Faith
Being let down by Christians often gives rise to doubt. Doubt about people. Doubt about church. Even doubt about God.
But what if doubt isn’t the enemy of faith?
The Christian mystical tradition reminds us that doubt can actually be a pathway to deeper intimacy with God. Saints throughout history—like John of the Cross, who wrote Dark Night of the Soul, or even Mother Teresa, who confessed to feeling God’s silence for decades—show us that doubt doesn’t disqualify faith. It can purify it.
Instead of pushing doubt aside, we can:
Normalize it. Doubt is part of the Christian journey. You’re not the first to feel it.
Share it. Lean into community and speak honestly about your struggles.
Wait in it. God often meets us most powerfully in seasons of uncertainty.
Doubt isn’t a sign that your faith is dying. It may be a sign that God is drawing you deeper.
The God Who Suffers With Us
I think of a close friend of mine who has carried the heavy weight of his wife’s chronic, degenerative illness for nearly two decades. When words and platitudes fail, he clings to one truth:
"Christ suffers with us."
That’s the heart of Christianity. We don’t serve a God who watches from a distance. We serve a God who stepped into our brokenness. A God who was betrayed, abandoned, and crucified. A God who knows what it feels like to be let down.
Lots of religions worship gods of power. But only one God entered into our suffering, taking it on himself so that we could have life. That’s why there is power in the name of Jesus.
Hope for the Wounded
If you’ve been hurt by other Christians, know this: Jesus sees it. He’s felt it. He carries it with you.
And while hurt people hurt people, healing also comes through people—through the slow, grace-filled work of healthy, Christ-centered relationships. The very thing that wounded us is often what God uses to heal us.
So don’t give up. Doubt, wrestle, grieve—but don’t lose sight of Jesus. He is the one who makes all things new.
