by ems 8/28/25
Building a bridge to connect the gap between two sides of a river takes an engineering marvel to make it safe, effective, and long-lasting. It requires many untold hours of planning and execution, along with various key foundational steps, before the finished project becomes a reality.
So, God, the Creator of the World, before the dawn of time, set in place an everlasting plan of reconciliation and redemption. God knew we would go our own way to destruction, and in His foreknowledge, He made a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to Himself. He loved us so much that He didn’t want to leave us entangled in the sin which separated us from Him.
“16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:16-19
Reconciliation is necessary whenever there is a conflict of separation, breaking down the connection and communication between two parties.
What causes this separation?
Sin.
The Bible calls any offense against God or man, sin. Sin separates and breaks down the free sharing of ideas and closeness that once was. It has the potential to destroy love.
The Bible also says, ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Everyone makes mistakes. Sin means we fall short of God’s standard of perfection.
Left to ourselves, we don’t know what is good, right, and pure. We wouldn’t even know what love is if God hadn’t demonstrated His everlasting, loyal love through Jesus.
Jesus’ sinless life, death on a cross, and resurrection from the grave proclaim God’s love as well as our need to be saved from the destruction and desperation of sin. That’s why we need to read God’s Word, the Bible, to know and live by His truth, His perfect standard for relationships.
So how does one become reconciled to someone who has significantly hurt and offended us?
It takes God. It takes time. And it takes a willingness to forgive.
Conflict is inevitable, for we are flawed human beings. But to take the time to forgive and be reconciled to another is a worthy investment of the heart and soul.
I once had a treasured relationship with a dear friend. A misunderstanding created a wedge and halted our relationship for several years. It was a difficult time, and my heart was broken over the lost fellowship and the sweetness we once shared. My lack of forgiveness soon grew beyond hurt to bitterness. Then God intervened and clarified the discord. His healing balm of love softened both our hearts, enabling us to restore our friendship. We entered a new phase of closeness and rejoicing in our reconciled relationship.
Not all relationships are restored, but forgiveness is a choice and a gift we give ourselves.
Forgiveness honours God. Reconciliation is so important to God that He sacrificed everything to buy us out of the slavery of sin, which kept us from Him. Then once He forgave and renewed us, as a new creation in Christ, He entrusted us with this ministry of reconciliation.
Forgiveness matters. God demonstrated it for us. He expects us to extend this to others.
We love each other because He first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19
If you’re experiencing a profound hurt, check out the resources below.
May you be healed by God as you discover the way of forgiveness and love!
May He use you extensively to extend this ministry of reconciliation to others searching for healing. First reconciled to God, and then reconciled to others.
PRAYing for you! 🙂
BLESSINGS! ~ ems
| TOTAL FORGIVENESS IS NOT | TOTAL FORGIVENESS IS |
1. Approval of what they did 2. Excusing what they did 3. Justifying what they did 4. Pardoning what they did 5. Reconciliation 6. Denying what they did 7. Blindness to what happened 8. Forgetting 9. Refusing to take a wrong seriously 10. Pretending we are not hurt | 1. Being aware of what someone has done and still forgiving them. 2. Choosing to keep no records of wrong 3. Refusing to punish 4. Not telling what they did 5. Being merciful 6. Graciousness 7. It is an inner condition 8. It is the absence of bitterness 9. Forgiving God 10. Forgiving ourselves |
Listen here as R.T. Kendall shares his story of forgiveness.
The Hardest—but Greatest—Step You’ll Ever Take: Total Forgiveness
https://youtu.be/kt-BJSX2ugo?si=GlAvLYKUpopaWPib
PRAYing for you!
~~~ems
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Learn more about Jesus here:
https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/embed/#?secret=W5DKtzaVcW#?secret=ByqEWlji5P
https://watch.thechosen.tv/page/seasons%201-3
https://www.navigators.org/resources/embed/#?secret=FmVg6j7THk#?secret=WlMwPXcfNF
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Gleanings From Heaven's Gate 