God's Resurrection PowerSample

Seeking Forgiveness in Broken Relationships

Walking through seasons of disconnection or brokenness with loved ones is hard. There is often a lot of forgiveness that needs to be extended from both sides. No matter what the situation is, who said what, or who started it, God is in the business of restoration and redemption.

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

In this verse, we are reminded that we have done the worst of the worst to God when we sin, yet He still forgives us. Even when we actively and sometimes unintentionally turn from Him and choose to follow our fleshly desires and sin, He is quick to forgive us when we confess and repent.

God’s power was on full display when He raised Jesus from the dead. As sinners, we are separated from God because His standard is perfection, and without Jesus Christ, we cannot even begin to meet His standard. But through His power, He raised Jesus from the dead. He reconciled man to Himself, allowing us to have eternal life in Jesus.

In Isaiah 43:25, God says, “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” He chooses to forget our sins when we come before Him in confession and repentance. How beautiful is God’s forgiving nature? We simply don’t deserve His forgiveness, but He is loving and good and invites us into a relationship with Him.

As followers of Jesus, we should try to mirror our relationship with God in our relationships with one another. Putting the needs of others before ourselves and choosing not to be offended imitates what Jesus has done for us. Giving people the benefit of the doubt, asking clarifying questions rather than jumping to conclusions, and offering forgiveness is attainable for us because of the power of Christ living within us!

Sometimes we experience brokenness in our relationships because we have done something to hurt the other person. Now, there are times when, despite asking for forgiveness, the other person isn’t ready to accept and move forward. There is nothing we can do to change the minds and hearts of others. When someone does forgive us, it’s a beautiful healing moment because it reminds us of the forgiveness that Christ extends to us! Either way, God promises that “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

No matter the situation, we can focus our attention on God. Seek restoration in our relationships through active prayer and demonstrate behaviors and actions that show a true heart of repentance toward our former actions. Only the Holy Spirit can soften the hearts of others, and while we expectantly wait on His timing, we know that we can trust God and His unfailing love for us.

Father, help us to forgive those who have wronged us. Help us to extend the same forgiveness that You’ve extended to us. We trust that in You, we can put aside our pain and hurt and focus on restoration. You are a God of redemption and restoration, and we trust that You are working in our lives and in our relationships. Give us hearts that desire to love others the way You love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Declare this truth over yourself as you pray and meditate on God’s Word: God’s Word says in Psalm 147:3 that, “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” I trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness. God restores all relationships through His Son, Jesus Christ. As God restored my relationship with Him, in His resurrection power, He is restoring relationships here on earth! I walk in the freedom of this truth and fully trust in His timing.