Dear friend,

Personally, I know what it’s like to feel the pain of a broken relationship—I mean, the hurt, the heartache of a ruined relationship.

What agony!

And I know what it’s like to yearn and pray for a restored relationship—a heart-to-heart reconciliation, only to have that reconciliation clearly denied. No matter how much I tried or how much I prayed, the relationship was never restored. And it took years for my heart to heal.

However, I also know what it’s like to have a reconciled relationship—with wrongs fully forgiven and hurts wholly healed. The pain of the past remains completely in the past. What peace, what ease, what joy—this is ultimate freedom! I consider this reconciled relationship a gift from God—a gift of grace from God.

But this kind of reconciliation doesn’t “just happen.” It requires a commitment of both quality time and quantity time to the relationship. This kind of focused attention involves processing pain from the past, forgiving what was fracturing, and rebuilding a new relationship based on renewed trust.

If a reconciled relationship is the desire of your heart, my sincere prayer is that you will find the path to freedom within my resources.

Remember, however, even if you have a heart for reconciliation, it takes two to reconcile a relationship. You can’t force it, but you can pave the way for it.

As you do all you can do, rest in your relationship with the Lord—you can find your peace in Him.

With shared compassion,

June Hunt

May these words be meaningful to you, as they have been to me: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

(Romans 12:18)

What is Reconciliation

• Reconciliation is the act of settling or harmonizing differences, especially resolving differences between one another. While a relationship will not always be salvaged, the spirit of reconciliation always reflects the heart of God.
• Reconciliation between God and human beings is based on:
  • #1 Atonement, a sacrificial act that covers a person’s sins and brings that person into reconciliation with God
    • The Hebrew word kaphar means “to cover,” which is most often translated as atonement.
    • “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for” (Proverbs 16:6).
  • #2 Jesus Christ, who became the sacrifice for our sins
    • The Greek word katallasso, means “to change or exchange.” He settled our debt, reconciling us to God and giving us a ministry of reconciliation to others. The Bible confirms this truth: “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
• Types of reconciliation
  • Relational: to bring a broken relationship into harmony
  • Personal: to be at peace with our circumstances or with ourselves
  • Financial: to bring accounting records into agreement
  • Spiritual: to be at harmony with God

Did you enjoy this excerpt? If you’re interested in further resources (Keys to Reconciliation, Characteristics of Alienation, Hardened Heart Test, How to Respond When Reconciliation is Refused, and more!), check out the minibook Reconciliation by June Hunt!

Reconciliation: Restoring Broken Relationships [Hope For The Heart Series]

Sarcasm. Hurt feelings. Misunderstanding. Alienation. When hurt people connect with other hurt people, relationship breakdowns are sure to occur. Why is it so hard to patch things up? Who should make the first move? This 96-page book on reconciliation tackles how to forgive the “un-forgivable,” how to move past the hurt, and how to restore relationships by restoring trust. 

What is Reconciliation? 3 Core Truths about Broken Relationships and Reconciliation

1. Forgiving someone is not the same as reconciliation.
2. Unforgiveness is the root of unresolved conflict.
3. Reconciliation is a restored relationship based on restored trust.

Even when there are valid reasons to feel hurt and even when the other person is undeserving, the spirit of reconciliation reflects the heart of God. 

Find out what you need to know about reconciliation and healing in relationships. It includes—

1. Definition Section on Reconciliation, Restoration, and Mediation – Discover the real truth that with God there is no relationship that cannot be restored. Review key definitions and encouraging Bible stories that show God’s heart and desire for reconciliation and forgiveness. Covers key Bible stories, such as David, Joseph and his brothers, Abigail, and Jesus. 
2. Characteristics Section: Keys to Repairing a Broken Relationship – This helpful section answers the fundamental questions: Am I ready for reconciliation? What does reconciliation look like? and Are we required to reconcile all relationships?
   • Learn how to spot the 8 characteristics of an alienating heart (pride, faultfinding, avoidance, isolation, hopelessness, etc.) and the 8 characteristics of a heart of reconciliation (humility, forgiveness, self-examination, communication, risk-taking, and more). 
   • Find out the 9 differences between reconciliation and forgiveness.
   • Discover the root causes for a lack of reconciliation along with 20 signs of a hardened heart.
3. Steps to Solution Section: How to Mend Broken Relationships and Open the Door to Reconciliation
4. Get a close up look at the story of the prodigal son and its principles of reconciliation. 
5. Find out the 4 goals of reconciliation and how to achieve them!
6. Examine your own heart with a helpful “heart test”—includes 8 questions to help you reflect on your own heart and actions toward your offender. 
7. Get answers to key questions, such as—
   • Why am I even going through this?
   • What do I do if I can’t persuade someone with a stubborn heart to reconcile?
   • Should I seek reconciliation even when I am still angry?
   • What do I do if my effort to bring about reconciliation with someone fails?

This helpful, easy-to-understand minibook will help you prepare your heart to resolve differences and it shows that the road to reconciliation—although difficult—is possible with God.

Get Your Copy Today!

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