We phoned our son to wish him a happy birthday, but we had a bad connection and didn’t talk much. First there was an echo and then we heard no voice on the other end. Disconnected.
Bad connections can ruin more than a conversation. We can have a disconnect in relationships due to circuits being broken, not being on the same wave length, not understanding each other’s message, tone of voice, and their past or present needs.
What causes a disconnect? We too often want to blame the other party. They are not interested; they won’t share the real story; their past hurts are still troubling them. But we can only change ourselves, that bad attitude we have and how far we will go to establish good connections again.
We are responsible for the choices we make. We cannot put blame or shame on others, especially family members. And as relatives or friends, we must not accept blame or shame for others’ actions leading to bad behavior.
Forgiveness is offered by the One who died for our sins. We receive forgiveness when we accept Christ’s sufficient and once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. A forgiving spirit heals our disconnected relationships and reconnects those broken circuits with love and compassion.
Ann Coker 