![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/2FF797BF-8CDE-495D-8004-4171BB0DE819.png\")
<\/p>\nRelationships are hard!<\/b> We are all sinful and will make mistakes as we communicate and interact with each other. At one time or another, if we invest in others, we will hurt each other – sometimes deliberately, sometimes without realizing it. Disagreements and arguments happen all the time creating hurt and confusion.<\/p>\n
So, how do we deal with the brokenness?<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If we don\u2019t care about the relationship, we allow our pride to ride high and we can get angry, bad mouth others and walk away leaving hurt and devastation behind.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/AA7A63B8-A6D9-458E-84FB-9DC4156ACAC9.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Or, we can choose to repair the broken relationship<\/b> through humbly taking these steps:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n People often say a \u201cget-off-my-back\u201d sorry which is shallow and superficial and adds to the hurt of the already wounded. <\/b>True, genuine, godly, heartfelt repentance involves:<\/p>\n Repentance and reconciliation are two entirely different things.<\/b> The first part is repentence which requires the humble willingness of one or both parties involved. Repentance happens whether the other party forgives or not for the sin is mainly against God (Psalm 53). Forgiveness is the second part which requires the wronged party to accept the apology and to forgive the wrongdoer. God commands us to forgive others because we have already been recipients of that grace through His death on the cross. Forgiveness does not depend on the other party\u2019s attitudes – it\u2019s an internal act of humility befor God. Reconciliation requires both parties to be willingly involved in the process with heartfelt repentance and forgiveness working in unison. This is nothing short of a miracle!<\/b><\/p>\n Most often though one party may not be willing to repent or forgive even if the other one is in which case reconciliation falls away. Also, in certain circumstances which are harmful or dangerous, boundaries may need to be clearly set or even law enforcement done post repentence so as not to allow repeat offenses. These shut the door on reconciliation. Yet, they do not shut the door on repentence not forgiveness!<\/p>\n God desires for His children to be united by love and redemption so that the world might see His light shining in that unity. <\/b>But, Jesus knowing how hard it was going to be prayed for His future children before His death on the cross in John 17:20-23, \u201cI ask for…for those who will believe in Me through the Word, <\/span><\/span><\/span>that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me.<\/span><\/span> The glory that You have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as We are one,<\/span><\/span> I in them and You in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent me and loved them even as You loved me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Matthew West song, Forgiveness<\/b><\/a> exemplifies all this!<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/790FD51F-0665-43C4-90B5-5538F037E205.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/20EA1FF4-28FD-4529-83CF-7E5476667124.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/97CD009D-BD34-4A48-A6DC-F780C9E80C35.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ourauthenticfamily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/E602F5C6-2531-4362-A0D2-5C0604AEF2C0.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n