Living ReconciledSample

Day One: Courageous Attitude 1—You Are Controlled by Christ’s Love

Have you ever wanted reconciliation? Have you ever had reconciliation with someone but found it hard to maintain? I understand. I’ve been there. Experiencing reconciliation and maintaining it can be difficult. The more intimate the relationship, the more challenging it may seem.

Living Reconciled will help you with two things. First, you may have attempted to reconcile but the entire relationship has fallen apart, or the other person is unwilling. Our time this week will explore seven keys to moving forward with a courageous reconciliation attitude, regardless of the other person’s response. Our roadmap for this journey is 2 Corinthians 5.

The second scenario is you have reconciled completely, however, your thoughts and feelings keep getting the best of you. Living Reconciled will help you transform those thoughts and feelings so that they glorify God and bring freedom in your life. This involves how we change our thinking about our circumstances and the conflicts we experience on a daily basis. When we stop and willingly apply God’s instruction to our circumstances, our hearts begin to change. 

To begin, we must recognize that what or who we worship during times of conflict will ultimately control us. If we worship a specific outcome and the other person does not worship the same outcome, we will fight about whose outcome wins. If we worship our desires, then our desires will ultimately control us. How can we allow God’s love to control us: “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14). 

The love of Christ, first and foremost, is demonstrated by the gospel. And dying on the cross for His friends is exactly what Jesus did. However, Christ’s love is not only for His friends but also for His enemies: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10). This always blows my mind. Jesus died for sinners—those who are His enemies. That is a tough, brave, and true type of love.

My hope is, as we journey together, God’s Word will transform you like it is transforming me, and you will experience God’s grace and peace and reconciliation, even in your toughest relationships.

Prayer: I open my hands before You, Lord, and release my rights and my understanding about reconciliation. Guide me to recognize the places of change in my heart and mind as I surrender to the teaching and instruction of Your Word. Amen.