‘And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to Himself...'
(2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
I love people.
I believe every person matters.
That's why I do what I do.
And I wish I was a perfect pastor and leader.
But I'm not.
I continually fail.
Expectations sometimes aren't met.
I drop the ball.
Miscommunications happen.
And I always feel horrible when I screw up.
If I had a time machine, there are so many do-overs I'd love to change.
Rewinding my mistakes haunts me sometimes.
Yet the past is the past -- I can't change it.
All I can do is move forward and make changes.
One change I'm trying to grow in is apologizing when I mess up.
I made this change 8 months ago.
It's not fun.
Never easy.
And yet forgiveness releases pain and opens the door to reconciliation.
So last Fall I started doing something new.
Anytime I hear of someone from the past who posts online about maybe feeling a little hurt or experiencing a twinge of pain caused by me... I pick up the phone and call them.
If they won’t answer, I try texting and emailing them.
It's awkward, I won't lie.
Asking for forgiveness is extremely humbling and I feel like I'm fumbling forward through these phone conversations and voice mails.
But here's what I'm learning: grace is messy.
Love requires action.
And not long ago, I got to have an AMAZING conversation with someone from the past... and see how God is restoring things for a new future!
Paul writes that 'God has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation.'
So that's what I'm trying to do in my own life and leadership.
I may not always be successful and the conversations may feel awkward, but they are always honest and sincere.
Opening doors.
That's what I'm gonna keep trying to do.
And maybe, in the days ahead, we can all experience a little bit more of God's love.