Can
broken relationships be repaired?
Yes.
It will take humility. It may take a miracle. But, yes.
Here's
how to work out ANY sort of relationships between Christians (including work
associates, marriages, friends, church members):
"God
is right. We are sinners. I am. You are. I am accepting responsibility for
being a sinner."
"The
enemy has set us against one another, I want to obey God and (1) resolve this,
(2) act in love toward you (3) thwart the will and work of Satan, so I am (A)
humbling myself, (B) seeking peace with Him and (C) peace with you."
"I
have some maturing to do."
"I
am willing for God to use you to point out some areas I've sinned and need to
mature."
"I
will demand I come under Him in obedience before I demand you to."
"I
have not been being charitable."
"I
have not been kind."
"I
have not acted selflessly."
"I
have not be careful with my words."
"I
have oft been impolite."
"I
have not been trying to build you up as a believer. I have not been trying to
edify you."
"I
have not been serving you. I have been demanding to be served."
"I
want to live out who God already sees me as. I want to be like Jesus. I want
that to define our relationship."
"I
want to walk in the Spirit. I am willing to learn what that means."
"I
am willing for everything about me to change so that I can be like Jesus and
for our relationship to reflect the love disciples are to have for one
another."
"I
would like for us to get into God's word together, figure out who we ought to
be and strive for it together."
"I
would like to start our conversations by US talking to Him together."
And,
so forth... you get the drift, right?
Now,
you're thinking, "I've done that. They don't receive it."
Do
it all again.
Now,
you're thinking, "I've done that. They still don't receive it."
Do
it all again.
Now,
you're thinking, "I've done that again. They didn't receive it
again."
Do
it all again.
Catching
on?
Bear
up until something breaks through or Jesus returns.
Don't
knuckle under to the methods of the world.
Don't
give up on God.
Don't
give up on what He is doing in and around others.
Don't
give up on what He is doing in you.
"I
do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through
their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in
you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have
sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may
be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become
perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even
as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may
be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved
me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:20-24, ESV)
It
will be hard. It will be difficult. It will require time. It will require tons
of humility. It will be work.
It
is worth it.
If
we will not even try ... I wonder if we are the ones Jesus prayed for...
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