We heard an incredible testimony of a troubled church in our hometown where there was a big falling out in the membership. People took sides and let their emotions rule. The church was fractured into many divisions. Christians were not behaving in a Christ-like manner towards each other.
Many members left, but some stayed because they strongly felt, after a lot of prayer, God wanted them there. Some admit they stayed out of stubborness not to let the others "have our church." At different times, people would reach out for healing only to be rejected by the ones they were reaching towards.
It took a year and a half, but those who stayed praying and hoping for a restored church body shared that they witnessed "the most beautiful work" of God in healing and restoring relationships this year on Easter. People who had not spoken to each other in over a year were humbled as the spirit of God moved over them during Easter service. Tears were shed. Hugs went around and around and around. Praises were lifted for the healing and answered prayers!
Many relationships were healed instantly by God through the realization of how their pride was keeping part of the Body of Christ from being restored. They repented of their sin then and there. Then the humbled hearts responded to the Holy Spirit's work in their lives and reached out to the people they were against in attitude.
Our friends, more than one family, rejoiced that they stayed in the relationship with their church even when it was hard and everything was pushing them to seek out another church. They would have never witnessed the amazing, life changing miracle of God if they had abandoned the church to avoid the people they didn't agree with.
It is often the one most against the relationship that needs/gets the biggest change of heart. They will run into wall after wall in their personal life wondering why God doesn't respond to their prayers when they aren't responding to God in their relationships. It's not God holding them back or ignoring them; it's their own disobedience and rejection of God's calling to them to make a change. I've been that person resisting the restoration of a relationship and have seen God work in this way in my life. I've also heard the testimonies of many others who have experienced the same.
God truly does work all things to good for those who love Him, and He has you in the circumstances you are in to teach you something valuable. At the same time, He may be teaching the other side something too! It may be that your differences are just what is needed to grow both of you in the weak areas of your lives.
Know that He loves you, even as you struggle, and He loves them too. He wants you to love them more than you love yourself. Praying for them is Biblical, but it should not supercede giving God authority in our dealings with them. If they are dedicated Christians, they probably praying for you in the same ways you are praying for them!
Through Jesus, I found healing and am friends with a man who once sexually assaulted me when I was young. He did some terrible things against me. I did not know he had turned his life around. I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to reach out to him. I didn't want to and put it off for a short time. He was afraid to reach out to me. When I finally placed God in authority over that relationship, I obeyed and reached out to him.
I discovered he found the Lord and regretted what happened. We are more than friends. We are brother and sister in Christ!! If God can fix that broken heap of a mess, He can help you in your situation too. With God, all things are possible!
Dear Reader, I am praying with you over your broken relationships.
