Villages Community Chapel

     Every person at some point in life has experienced regrets about how they handled a situation. Regrets can bring about deep sorrow to your soul and cause destructive behavior that can spin out of control. A son gets upset with a father, a daughter gets upset with a mother or you and a longtime friend for the way a situation damaged the relationship. In retrospect the incident could have been managed with more wisdom and grace had you known what you’ve come to understand years later.

     If you, as a parent or a friend could foresee in the future and were able to assess the damage that would occur you may have chosen a different approach rather than repeatedly asking to be forgiven. They may have said, “Forget about it!” but in your heart you know that they are still hurt and they can’t let it go and neither can you. Each time you happen to meet or speak there are flashbacks of the rift that damaged your relationship with the other person. So, you question yourself, “Should I bring it up and ask to be forgiven again?” which could drive another nail into your coffin. 

     Look, whether you or the other person were at fault for the rift, when you have asked the person’s forgiveness with a repentant heart that is as good as it gets. You can’t make the person forgive you because at this point it is no longer in your hands but theirs to accept or refuse. 

     As relationships go people are at different stages in their life cycle. Teenagers act out because of the struggle with developing into young men and women. Adults can experience different changes that are happening in their lives whether it’s their lively hood or something physical. Just imagine, all of these stages happening in households across the country. To be honest we do not know what is really happening in a person’s life if they don’t tell us. We run the risk of assuming that everything is hunky dory until we hit a brick wall in the relationship and we end up saying to our surprise, “Where did that come from?”

     Let’s face it, we are all imperfect and broken people who are just trying to manage each days challenge with the least amount of stress. When we have done all that we can to mend the broken relationships, give each other grace (unmerited favor) and in time that same grace will return to you. Ephesians 4:32 NKJV “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” If a person or persons refuse to forgive you, when you’ve asked from a repentant heart, let it go, be at peace and live your life with the number of days you have been granted.

     You are cordially invited to join us at the Villages Community Chapel in Cribari Auditorium at 10 a.m. to be encouraged over the Word, a cup of coffee and cookies. The chapel is a place for needs to be met, faith to be affirmed and people to love.  We would love to meet you and establish a lasting friendship.  If you would like to make an appointment with Pastor Bill please call the office at 408-238- 3079. To learn more about the Villages Community Chapel visit our website at http://www.villagescommunitychapel.org/