Re-Assembly RequiredSample

Reassembly Decision #4: I will keep the welcome mat out and the door open.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, some people are just hard! Help me decide, over and over, to have no regrets, even when there’s relationship drama. Thank you that you love me despite my drama through your Son, Jesus.

Reading

It’s unwise to reconcile with someone unsafe, either physically or emotionally. Some relationships, though, while not unsafe, are just hard. Working to repair difficult relationships requires extra effort. The drama will keep happening, and your choice to have no regrets will be a daily one. You’ll need to make the fourth reassembly decision:

I will keep the welcome mat out and the door open.

When you decide to keep the welcome mat out and the door open—removing obstacles to reconciliation—the hurt will stay connected to its actual source rather than transferring to another relationship. This will keep you healthy and prevent bitterness buildup. But if we declare we don’t care, we become carriers.

When core relationships break, something inside us breaks as well.

If everything in you wants to close the door on a family member or friend, try to remember what your heavenly Father did for you through Christ. Through Jesus, your Father does not count your sins against you. He is not offended by you. He loves you despite your misdeeds, misdoings, and shortcomings. By his grace, you can decide to do for others what God does for you.

You can choose to try to be at peace with others and have no relationship regrets by making four key decisions:

1. I will get back to, not back at.
2. I will own my slice of the blame.
3. I will make the first move regardless of who moved away first.
4. I will keep the welcome mat out and the door open.

As much as reconciliation with other people is important, it’s even more important that we’re reconciled to our heavenly Father. If you are not a Jesus follower: Know that you can be reconciled to God.

The apostle Paul’s words are clear,

We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

God removed all the obstacles and went looking for you—not to get back at you but to get back to you. Because despite you, he loves you.

Reflection

This is a beginner’s guide to reassembling relationships. Sometimes when things are difficult, a visit to a professional counselor is in order. Are you willing to do the hard work of trying to repair a broken relationship so you can have no regrets?