The Critical Ingredient to Healing a Relationship

A few years ago I had a major blowout with a friend when we were working together in a non-profit.  To be honest to this day I don’t know why.  She suddenly grew very angry.  Our work relationship and friendship imploded.

When the project concluded I called her one afternoon and said, “I really don’t know what went wrong but I’m sorry for hurting you whatever I did.”

She responded simply, “Thank you.”

To say the relationship remained strained would be a gross understatement.

A few months later I had to go by her office to sign some papers.  As I sat at the conference table signing I said, “I never meant to hurt you and truthfully still don’t know what I did.  But I hope in time we can be friends again.”

She said, “You never know.  Maybe in time.”

Time hadn’t healed all wounds evidently.

I was hurt too though.  There were times I felt attacked both privately and publicly.

But the main reason I’ve moved on is I remember that I’ve been forgiven by God for a whole lot more.

When my life was pretty screwed up God accepted and loved me.

When I’ve messed up since God has forgiven me again and again.  Then he’s helped me get back up.

And he forgives me every day for the knuckle-head stuff I don’t even realize.

I’ve found when I’m bathed in remembering his forgiveness it becomes a lot easier to forgive someone else.

And that brings peace to my soul which helps me live in peace with others.

Paul writes, “And in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”  (Ephesians 2:16 NIV)

We’re freed to forgive when we remember we’re forgiven.

How has remembering you’re forgiven freed you to forgive someone else?