Working Toward A Peaceful Restoration

 By; Paula Short

"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11" NIV

Sometimes restoration is not always straightforward. It's messy and complex. It often involves sifting through our own brokenness. It means we discover wounds we thought had healed long ago, which can be painful.

Perhaps you said an unkind word to a friend that resulted in a huge argument. Maybe a loved one angered you, and you unloaded weeks of resentment onto their shoulders. God calls us to restore our relationships where possible. 

Whatever the sunder, consider how you might restore the relationship. Have you ever tried handwriting a letter, snail mailing a greeting card, or making a phone call to tell the person that you're sorry for how you treated her?

I've sent a greeting card with a handwritten message to a friend I had words with one time. She called me and said she was surprised to receive a card by snail mail. She also said she appreciated my words for us to make peace and apologized to me. In this instance, my friend and I were able to reconcile.

You don't have to be the one who inflicted wounds to seek restoration. You might go to a loved one or friend and say, "Your words hurt me, but I'd like to move past this." If you did say something hurtful, it might be uncomfortable, but apologize to your friend or call your loved one and say, "Can we make amends?"

Of course, not every relationship should be restored. If you're in a violent situation, it's not wise to put yourself in danger. In these situations, it's OK to say, "I'm working on forgiveness, but I think we need to heal apart for a little while."

In our beginning verse, Paul's closing words are what he wanted the Corinthians to remember about their church's needs. Those words are still fitting today. Sometimes we have problems that need to be dealt with.

Restoration doesn't come by glossing over problems, conflicts, and difficulties.

Restoration is not produced by neglect, denial, withdrawal, or bitterness. 

Learning how to solve problems can be hard work. Just as Paul and the Corinthians had to hammer out difficulties in order to bring peace, we too must be encouraging to others and apply the principles of God's word and not just hear them.

Before you seek restoration with another, start by praying to God. He's been in the restoration business for thousands of years!

Prayer

God, I'm broken about my relationship with (name). I want to see restoration and healing. Please show me how to reach out. Guide my efforts and let me be gentle with their heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash