"God has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships " II Corinth.5:18
Relationships are always worth restoring. Because life is all about learning how to love, God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict. In fact, the Bible tells us that God has given us the ministry of restoring relationships, "II Cor5:18 says "because we look not to the things that are unseen, for the things that are seen are transient,but the things that are unseen are eternal" . For this reason a significant amount of the New Testament is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another. Paul wrote,"If you have gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you...Agree with each other, be deep-spirited friends" Paul taught that our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturity, "May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ". Romans 15:5-6
Since Christ wants his family to be known for our love for each other,John 13:35 says " By this all men will know that you are my disciples,if you have love for one to another ", broken fellowship is a disgraceful testimony to unbelievers. This is why Paul was so embarrassed that the members of the church in Corinth were splitting into warring factions and even taking each other to court. He wrote, "Shame of you! surely there is at least one wise person in your fellowship who can settle a dispute between fellow Christians"Mathew 10:30. He was shocked that no one in the church was mature enough to resolve the conflict peaceably. In the same letter, he said, "I will put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other.
Finally, if you want to have God's blessing on your life and you want to be known as a child of God, you must learn to be a peacemaker. Jesus said,"God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the Children of God.Notice Jesus did not say, "Blessed are the peace lovers", because everyone loves peace. Neither did he say, "Blessed are the peaceable, "who are never disturbed by anything. Jesus said,"blessed are those who work for peace". those actively seek to resolve conflict. Peacemakers are rare because peacemaking is hard work.
If you have a broken fellowship with somebody, just follow what the Bible says and taught us to be: Forgive as you have been forgiven from Jesus Christ. If you want to be considered as a child of God, become a peacemaker!!.
With love, your friend and sister in faith,
Hellen G.Peralta