Healing Broken Relationships, Part 2

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-18
There was one event that could bring about a reconciliation between God and man - Christ’s death on the cross. Similarly, there is a singular, decisive act that must occur if a wounded relationship is to be healed - death to self. Someone must always choose to die when a friendship or an association has been damaged.

We must die to self-protection. A broken relationship bruises our emotions. A natural response is to withdraw physically and psychologically. God calls us, however, to take the risk of reaching out.

We must die to self-justification. Whenever a relationship is severed, we usually think of ourselves in the right and the other in the wrong. Reconciliation works when one lays down his or her right to self-justification and initiates healing.

Our ingrained tendency to self-assertion, however, is a strong ally of discord. Such denial is possible only through a deep experience of the cross and extension of God’s love. Jesus, though perfect, died for us. We, though perhaps deeply wronged, must take up that cross daily and die to self.

Because we have received the unmerited love of Jesus - expressed by Him for us on the cross - we now must extend God’s love to those who have hurt us.

“For the love of Christ controls us...” 2 Cor. 5:14