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Reconciliation
I have to give you at least a slight update about last months' article. Recall last month how I said if I stayed on schedule for the 8K I would be running at the end of March, and that I would be up to running 60 minutes by race day. Well, four weeks later, I can run 78 minutes at least five miles without stopping and I still have four full weeks of training remaining! Incremental consistent changes with commitment and accountability are making a difference!
I must say that I have a renewed hope for accomplishing the impossible. Hitting milestones I thought impossible is inspiring. I can honestly say it has been more than 30 years since I was able to run 60 straight minutes. For some of you - that is more than a lifetime. Making those goals happen, make it possible to realize that other things are possible. Like the seemingly impossible hurdle of reconciliation. Who among us has not experienced a breach in our relationships that seemed or ended up being irreconcilable? Be it with our fellow man or with God, most of us have known the pain of separation, sometimes unto death and sometimes forever on earth.
It is the beginning of the season of resurrection and miracles. God desires for us to experience the wonderful miracle of reconciliation. We can (and should) quickly leap for joy when we hear of someone healed of cancer or in some way restored to health. But our spontaneous responses to healing in relationships are barely audible, often cursory and non-lasting. Jesus is the Reconciler. Reconciling us to the Father and calling us to be reconcilers, reconciling others to the Father through Jesus Christ.
Relationships are worth contending for. We are Ambassadors of Christ and have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). While that carries with it joy and privileges, it also carries responsibility. Jesus gave his life for us to be reconciled to the Father. I cannot say I am an expert on this topic, but I have experienced the true joy of reconciliation of relationships I thought to be irreconcilable. Are you in a relationship that needs to be reconciled? Are you willing to contend for reconciliation? I do not in any way want to offer a prescription for reconciliation. I can tell you how the experience progressed for me.
First I would say:
Give: Give this to your Father. Call out to Jesus, His Son, our Lord, and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and revelation. Knowing how much our Father loves us, is the easy part when there is a chasm in a relationship. Do we know and want to know that He loves the one we need to be reconciled to as much as He loves us? He does!
Repent: While crying out, I also repented. I repented of my sin and my role and responsibility which contributed to the breach. For each of us, this will be different, but it will be.
Forgive: Forgiveness is foundational in our lives as Christians. For the other individual, release them from the debt they owe you. Unmet expectations, hurtful attitudes, words and actions cause the breach in the first place.
Pray: I prayed for the other individual. Genuinely praying for their health, well being and relationship with God our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Contend: Fight for the reconciliation. True reconciliation only happens through Jesus Christ. Repentance, forgiveness, prayer are all components of the contending. Fighting on our knees, in the Spirit and in our hearts for the reconciliation is critical.
Wait: I did my part, but also waited. I waited for God's timing and my heart to be right and ready for reconciliation. True reconciliation comes through Jesus on the waves of truth, humility and forgiveness. When we are reconciled through Jesus, it is a miracle worthy of our worship and rejoicing.
Copyright © 2008-2015 Diane Wiater, Ph.D.
Reader Comments...
| 2009-03-22 19:36:25 "Diane, What a wonderful article on reconciliation. This article reinforces the principles we are learning in our morning Bible Study Group. "The Bait of Satan" the trap of offense. Thanks," - Linda |
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