Reconciliation

Amy Dawson / Student Ministries Administrative Assistant

I recently finished the Regeneration Recovery program at church and was exposed to reconciliation. Reconciliation is one of those "church words" I have often heard growing up in church. It is not a word I use often or have seen modeled well.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

What does reconciliation mean?

1. To restore to friendship or harmony;

2. Settle, resolve, bring to agreement;

3. To make consistent or conform to requirements of a situation.

God reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 

God restored me to friendship with Him by settling my debt to Him through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus. Then He gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 

God reconciled and brought me into agreement with Him. It will take me a lifetime to comprehend the magnitude of this act. 

The ministry of reconciliation? For real? 

I've been thinking about this ministry of reconciliation over the last few weeks. On a much smaller level, I am interested in the reconciliation that happens within my soul on a daily basis. I've been intentional about attuning to my emotions more often, attempting to feel them rather than explain them away or judge them. In this act, I want to understand my feelings, to know their origin, and to gain grace for myself in the process.

How do I bring my feelings into agreement with Christ? What is needed to do so? 

I find that reconciliation happens when I am willing to be vulnerable and honest about my motivations and beliefs. Many times, I do not know my motivations or the belief system I am functioning out of. Thankfully, God has given me a community of women who love Jesus and follow Him closely. In their presence and the safe space they provide me, I listen to God and proceed by obeying what is made known to me. Sometimes it's helpful to audibly speak my thoughts to God. When I am willing to be authentic is often when I feel the emotions that are at the root of my thought.

Often I am in need of truth to reconcile my emotions to God. Sometimes it is the truth of the circumstances such as saying to myself, "I am doing so much right now, I will find time to slow down in the next few hours," or "the truth is God is with me, I am not alone. Am I able to courageously believe this right now?" Yet other times it is God's Word I need to rub into my life, and I quote scripture to myself. The Holy Spirit has been a gentle guide and often impresses verses on my soul, so I memorize them. These are a few of my go-to verses:

Psalm 119:37: to focus on truth.

Romans 12:1-2: purpose in hard times.

Psalm 3:5-8: to trust in God completely.

Psalm 51:10: a reminder that God is transforming me.

God continues to give me grace for my journey. If He offers me grace daily, it's best I practice accepting it. Receiving grace, attuning to the Holy Spirit and my emotions, and vulnerably seeking Him are all steps that are helpful in this process. Praise be to God who gives me everything I need for life and godliness in this journey called life!