Do you feel betrayed from a shattered relationship? (177-4)

There will be times when every leader’s relationships fail but the wise Christian leader follows God’s model of forgiveness and restoration. Read Hosea 14:1-3.

For 13 chapters in the book of Hosea, God condemned Israel’s people and leaders for their rebellion against Him. In Chapter 14, God gives the people of Israel hope for forgiveness and restoration. The one condition, they must return to Him.

The Bible is filled with stories of relationship and some of the greatest of stories concern the relationship between God and humans. By definition relationship is the connection between two or more and their involvement with one another, especially as regards the way they behave toward and feel about one another. Even though the people of Israel had shattered relationship with God by ignoring Him and worshiping idols, God was taking the initiative to restore the relationship.

The Bible shows us that God’s desire is for relationships to benefit all who are involved. Throughout its pages, the Bible deals with the manner in which the God-human and the person-to-person relationships work for mutual benefit. When relationship is broken, the only way for restoration is for one party to take the initiative to give unmerited forgiveness and open the door for reconciliation and restoration of trust. As was the case with God offering forgiveness to the people of Israel, it is generally up to the strongest leader to initiate the reconciliation process.

Are you currently reeling from a broken relationship that has hurt you deeply? Do you feel betrayed from a shattered relationship? Does it appear hopeless that a vital relationship can ever be restored? Even the strongest relationships can break down; trusted partners and allies may betray you and key subordinates fail, but that does not necessarily mean the relationship should be finished. Leaders need only look at Jesus’ actions with His disciples to find God’s model for relational restoration. Jesus, the Son of God, sought out Peter after a major failure of trust and offered restoration. The Son of God, who could have survived just fine without this restored relationship, took the initial steps to bring restoration to the relationship. Wise Christian leaders do the same.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and 12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up…Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”