In my last post I discussed how it’s going to take Hope to move us out of the place of brokenness. Jesus is the true giver of Hope and as we receive this Hope we can start to see the pieces of our lives being put back together.
Another part of moving beyond our broken past is truly seeing God restoring our relationships.
It’s hard to see the beauty when we’re still standing in the ashes of broken relationships.
If you’re ready to see your relationships begin to come back together, the best place to start is asking God for help. He longs to help you!
James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Search His word for Wisdom and guidance and He will give it to you. Here are five steps for restoring relationships.
5 Biblical Steps for Restoring Broken Relationships
Be committed in Love
It’s important to know that true love empowers good decisions. So often the meaning of loving an addict is to help them no matter the consequence. This is not true love. We must love, but we must love within good boundaries.
Humble Yourself (can’t do alone)
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up! You need God’s help and you need the help of people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those around you. Don’t be afraid to voice what you’re going through to some trusted friends. You will soon realize you’re not alone.
Don’t Rush It
These relationships weren’t likely broken in a day, however there are some exceptions and moral failings that can do substantial damage in a short period of time. It’s reasonable to think that most broken relationships exist due to a pattern of poor choices & broken promises over a period of time.
Grant yourself permission to take it slow.
Ask for Forgiveness & Grant Forgiveness
This is often the pain point for a lot of people. I will simply leave you the words of Christ here on forgiveness and encourage you to subscribe to my blog as this is a topic better covered thoroughly in a few posts.
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Matthew 18:21-22
Remember the Rules of Communication
Be Honest
Keep Current (Do not bring up the past)
Attack the problem, not the person (avoid generalizations)
Act. Don’t React
You must communicate. If helpful, rehearse what you’re going to say in front of the mirror, but it’s not enough to keep your thoughts in. Use these rules to help guide your communication.
