A Prayer for God's Restoration in Relationships
By Christine Perry
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." - 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NKJV
With the fall of Adam and Eve, sin spread to all mankind. With our sinful nature, we are prone to selfishness, pride, and every kind of evil. When we are in relationships, our selfishness, pride, harsh words, and actions rise to the surface. Sometimes, someone may say something that causes us to react. Other times, we act out of tiredness, sickness, or hunger. In other cases, things can be much more severe, such as abandonment, abuse, toxic behaviors, etc. When the hurt is deep, it's hard to think and act lovingly. Our defenses shoot up out of our need to protect ourselves.
It can be hard to navigate certain relationships. However, it's important to remember that regardless of what someone else has said or done to us, we are responsible before God for our actions. Please know this does not mean that if you've gotten out of an abusive relationship, you should forgive and walk back into it. Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Sometimes, on this side of heaven, certain relationships are irreconcilable.
For damaged relationships, the first step toward restoration is prayer. We can ask God to help us see the wrong we may have done. In every relationship, there are two different perspectives, and you may have done something unintentionally that hurt the other person. I remember a few times being upset over something someone had done. Initially, I took offense and thought they meant to hurt me. However, when I talked it through, after praying about it and asking God to reveal my wrong, I was able to express my hurt and hear their part of the story. Both times, I had misjudged something and found I was wrong in some area. No one is perfect, and because of our sins, no one is innocent. Even if we feel we did no wrong, we can sin in our reaction or thought toward someone who has hurt us. God sees everything we do, say, and think. Read Psalm 139 for proof!
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says that because Christ reconciled us to Himself, we also have the ministry of reconciliation. One of the definitions of reconciliation is restoration to favor. As I mentioned previously, some relationships are not able to be restored on this side of heaven, but we can always pray for restoration, especially if the other person does not know the Lord. The first restoration that should happen is our restoration with the Lord, next the other person's restoration with the Lord, and then restoration with each other.
James Dobson said, "Prayer is the ultimate source of strength and guidance." We can count on the Lord to help us when we come to Him for help.
Let's pray:
Dear Lord,
Thank You for creating us as relational beings. Thank You for our relationships with You and with others. Relationships can be wonderful and also really tough. I pray that You would first help us examine ourselves so that we have a clean heart. I also pray that You would give us wisdom in our relationships. God, You say that You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble.
Lord, I pray that You would help us be humble and kind in our relationships. We desperately need Your help. You are the only one who can see both hearts in a situation. I ask that restoration come into our relationships with you and with each other. I pray that You would restore friendships, family relationships, our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and our marriages.
God, we know that You sent Jesus on earth, and He was tempted in every way but did not sin, even in His relationships. You know what it has felt like to be betrayed, hurt, and have broken relationships. But as reconciliation happened between Peter and You, I pray that You would bring restoration in my relationship with (fill in the person’s name). Lord, we know it delights Your heart when we are in unity, so I pray for Your will and way to take place in my relationships. And if restoration is not possible, I pray that I will still bring You honor and glory through my thoughts, words, and actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/simonapilolla
Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website: Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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