Forgiveness isn’t always the end of reconciliation; sometimes it’s just the start. The road together may have to be repaved by conversation, listening and sharing, and time. But it is crucial to be willing to be there with the step of hope already taken for the possibility of a better future relationship. Sometimes we can let our desire for someone’s punishment go but not pursue a significant closeness again. In other situations we can be willing to invest in the building of trust being reestablished because the relationship matters so much.
Being able to stand at the beginning of that path with another person is a courageous step. Walk the restoration road with eyes open, hope present, heart willing, remembering the God who loves (and helps us) when we are humble and available for such holy things. So much could be patched and made strong by two people willing to try. Most of us have bruised relationships in the wings of our lives, waiting for a moment that would play out gloriously. Maybe we could give it a chance.
Photograph from morguefile.com by Grafixar
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