Morning Devotionals

by Don Emmitte

 

February 6th, 2008

 

“I'm Broken (Part 4)”

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NIV).

I meet so many people who have broken relationships in their life. The relationship could be with a family member or friend, co-worker or neighbor. It always hurts. I have never seen anyone escape the hurt. They may pretend it doesn’t, perhaps deny it hurts, but it always hurts. And just as regularly the person I speak with about the hurt wants it healed. The problem is not their desire for healing. Sometimes they simply don’t know how, or the other person isn’t willing, or they just think there is too much in the way.

Of course I won’t be able to address every issue in this short devotional, but I can say that as far as Scripture is concerned you are only responsible to do whatever you can to make a relationship work, without compromising other Biblical principles. You are not responsible for the other person’s response.

As an example, if you have a broken relationship with co-worker, you attempt to reconcile the relationship, and their requirement of you is that you violate God’s principles; then you would not be required to follow through. You’ve done what you can and it didn’t work.

At that point, after you have attempted to reconcile, the other person continues to refuse, you are free, in my opinion, to release yourself from any emotional pull from the broken relationship. You may still feel guilt at this point from the broken relationship, but that guilt is a product of the enemy; not from God.

Now, I do believe that according to Scripture you are required to forgive the person in your heart. That will not be easy, but Jesus clearly teaches that to have healthy relationships we are to love others as He has loved us. Ask yourself this question: How much love has He given me? We are to love likewise!

When we have done that, we are okay with God! Let that sense of relationship with God permeate your soul and bring healing.