Week 4 | Day 2 | Character Refinement

Command:

Be Reconciled. Matthew 5:24 (NIV)

Read:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Reflect:

I’ve had friendships come and go in my life. Some ended with seasons of change and others ended with a complete fallout that required necessary boundaries.

However, there are some friendships worth the tender dance. I have a specific friendship that has gone through some peaks and valleys over the years. There was even a 4-year drought where we made no contact with each other due to unresolved hurt and misunderstanding. God’s patience and refining process to shape us both into his character full of compassion, kindness, patience, and love filled this time apart. 

In his perfect timing, God called us forward when a cancer diagnosis brought us both to our knees and back together. It was here he met us with grace, humility and forgiveness to reconcile with one another and ultimately heal our friendship and our broken hearts.

React:

Do you have a broken relationship that needs resolving? Have you asked God to clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience which will ultimately lead to forgiveness and reconciliation?

Pray:

Father-God, refine me with your character so I may keep my heart soft towards the difficult relationships in my life.