PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY - MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT.
August 31st, 2025
FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION (2)
Reconciliation requires boundary especially where the relationship is harmful, and draining one emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. For emphasis, for there to be the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, TRUST MUST HAVE BEEN BROKEN and TRUTH HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. Trust takes years to build. It becomes fragile once it is broken and it will take a while for it's key to turn the heart again.
Question: What about sinners going back to their sins severally after forgiveness and reconciliation? Some of us have experienced similar situations before, believing that forgiveness means going back to how things were but then, the abuse never stops!
First, it is obvious that this relationship is one-sided. There was forgiveness but no repentance. In reconciliation, we must look for genuine repentance. "I am sorry" does not mean repentance. Repentance is not shifting blame. It is not looking for excuses. It is admitting wrong doing. It is admitting that you deliberately cause pain. John the Baptist demanded the fruit of repentance - a turning away from sin. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' (entitlement) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."(Mat.3.8-9.NIV) While Paul wrote: "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" (Rom.6.1-2.NLT). Exactly!
1. We must look for genuine repentance. People need to take responsibility for their actions, otherwise, the same scenario will play out again and again. Don't be a doormat.
2. Destructive, abusive, controlling, we are encouraged to "from such turn away" (2 Tim. 3:1-5). This is not harsh but protective. "Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul." (Prov.22.24-25.NLT). Read Jesus' example (John 11:53-54). It is not pride but protection.
3. When God is leading you away. It is not reconciliation but redirection. Something in your spirit tells you not to return but to release (Acts 15:36-41) Not in union but different directions. Letting go or walking away is NOT GIVING UP BUT GROWING UP.
THE WORD: "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven...........A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
(Eccl.3.1-5.NLT)
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