Reconciliation Requires Repentance

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
–Amos 3:3 KJV

There are several biblical conditions that must take place for reconciliation to occur. Before you can be reconciled with the person who has wronged you, there are some things you want to see in that person’s life.

The first requirement for reconciliation is repentance. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. In Amos 3:3, the prophet said, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (KJV). That’s a strange question, isn’t it? A husband and wife don’t have to agree on everything to be married. You can be friends with somebody who has a different political affiliation. A church doesn’t require members to agree on every minor point of doctrine.

But for any of our relationships to thrive, there has to be agreement on how the other person treats us. If we feel somebody has wronged us, yet they deny it or disagree, then there’s going to be a rupture in our relationship. Only when our offender is willing to admit they hurt us will that relationship ever be healed.

Let’s say a couple has been married for twenty years. Every year on their anniversary, the husband makes dinner reservations at their favorite restaurant. One year, he gets distracted at work and forgets about their anniversary. He’s so focused on what he’s doing that he loses track of time and misses a few calls from his wife. When he gets home, his wife is upset, and he realizes what day it is. He could say, “Honey, you just don’t understand how busy I’ve been at work lately.” Or, “This is the only time I’ve forgotten in twenty years. It’s not a big deal.” How do you think she would react? Only when he admits he made a mistake and acknowledges the hurt he caused his wife can reconciliation take place.

This is true in your relationship with God as well. As long as God says you’ve sinned and you keep saying you have not sinned, you are not going to have a right relationship with God, even as a Christian. If there is a rift in your relationship with God because of something you’ve done, you need to admit your wrongdoing to Him so your relationship can be restored.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Forgiving People You Never Want to Eat Lunch with Again,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2015.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.