Aim for Restoration

 By: Lauren Thomas 

As someone who has never been remotely athletic, I freely admit, my aim is poor. Most people have better aim. Some people have great aim! If this hypothetical group of us got together and had to hit a bullseye with a dart, there is one thing we would all have in common. We would all be aiming for the same mark. But we would get different degrees of success, maybe even different ways of achieving that success.

 

God’s Word has given us a mark to aim for: 

 

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)

 

“Aim for restoration.” Though not every translation includes a similar phrase, the idea is present in every translation, considering the context of the book. Paul had been writing to the Corinthian believers about restoring a member who had sinned. In concluding his letter, Paul summarizes by telling them to work toward reconciliation. 

 

But that phrase…

 

“Aim for restoration…”

 

And more specifically, that word: “aim.”

 

The mark we should all be aiming for is reconciliation. But that doesn’t mean we will make that mark every time or in every situation. 

 

Yet it doesn’t change the fact that we have something to aim for! Reconciliation. 

 

Pop psychology would tell us to set up healthy boundaries and – maybe, sometimes – forgive those who wrong us. But in pop psychology, restoration of broken relationships isn’t always the mark to aim for. Instead, the mark tends to be self.

 

This differs from God’s directive and objective. We are to aim for restoration. 

 

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 Corinthians 5:18 (ESV)

 

…Reconciliation between us and God.

 

…Reconciliation between others and God.

 

…Reconciliation among one another. 

 

It isn’t always easy. We won’t always make the mark. But it is still the target of our aim. And so, we aim.

 

Reflection:

What makes restoration of relationship hard for you? Are there any relationships in your life concerning which you might need to adjust your aim?