A pastoral friend of mine once told me, “Layton, your greatest attribute is that you never give up on anyone, but it’s also your greatest detriment.”
My friend was right, for it seems no matter what, I never give up on anyone, even at the cost of personal loss. Why? Because I know Jesus will never give up on me or anyone else, and He proved it on the cross.
Now, I may have to give up some ground in a relationship, but I will never give up on a person I’m in conflict with. Because I deeply believe in the power of God’s redemptive plan of reconciliation that we have in Jesus Christ His Son…Who makes all things new even in the midst of our most exasperating and trying relationships.
But what do we do when the consistent practice of love, patience, kindness, compassion, understanding and forgiveness, which are fundamental to us as believers, doesn’t seem to be working or getting through to the person we’re in conflict with? Where do we turn when even our most concerted, heartfelt prayers for reconciliation seem to go unanswered? How long-suffering are we to be with another in a trying relationsh ...
