The next principle in our walk through the CR process is a doosie, as if the first five weren’t. But this one, Principle 6 puts real legs to the process of recovery. And it does so by directly and intentionally engaging other people in your recovery. It’s not a situation where those around you simply notice, hey there is something different about (insert name). It’s a situation where you go directly to people in your life who have offended you or those you have offended, to offer forgiveness or make amends whatever the case may be. Yeeowee! Is that scary or what?
Principle 6: Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when to do so would harm them or others.
“Happy are the merciful.” Mt 5:7 “Happy are the peacemakers” Mt 5:9
This is one of those places where “the rubber meets the road” so to speak.
It’s not done by simply praying in your mind, “God I’m sorry for hurting so and so, forgive me and help me not do that again.” Jesus gave very specific instructions as to how to deal with relationship issues. “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make things right with your brother or sister and then come back and offer your gift.” Mt 5:23-24 CEB Please notice Jesus did not ask who is right or who is wrong in this deal, all He said was if you remember someone has something against you.(Interesting) So if we recognize that someone has something against us, justified or not we are to go to them and do our best to make things right. Jesus didn’t stop there He went on to say in Mk 11:25 “And whenever you stand up to pray, if you have something against anyone, forgive so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your wrongdoings.”
So it seems that it really doesn’t matter who is right or who is wrong in these situations. What it does say is, if YOU realize someone has something against you or if YOU have something against someone, that it is YOUR responsibility to make it right. WOW! Just imagine what our world would be like if people actually started doing this kind of stuff! Celebrate Recovery helps us put legs to these admonitions of Jesus Christ and it’s amazing how life changing it can be. I highly recommend it.
May 2013 be a year of amazing blessings for you and yours!
Jim & Pam