Believe and Forgive

Reconciliation. It's the correct view of the Sacrament formerly known as confession, formerly known as penance. The church came to the understanding that penance and confession are only part of what the sacrament truly achieves for us. It heals our relationship with God and each other. To reconcile with God , we only need to seek forgiveness, for God always awaits us with open arms.
  Forgiveness with others is not as easy. Forgiveness and reconciliation have two sides. The side of the penitent person, and the side of the forgiver. For the penitent, there must be a true desire of forgiveness and a real understanding of having done wrong. Sometimes we realize we have hurt another, and we want to correct it, so we reach out,but the reality is that we can only be forgiven when the other party is ready to offer it. In my own experience, I have looked for forgiveness from others, and may not have received it. Even though I felt saddened and desired to rectify the situation, I could not force the forgiveness to be given. I turned to the only recourse left when one is not sure what to do next. I prayed. I prayed that someday, the wounds would be healed enough that the relationship would be healed as well.
   Sometimes when we seek reconciliation, prayer may be our only recourse. It is a way of seeking forgiveness from another by asking our Father to intervene. To melt hardened hearts. To rebuild burned bridges. Sometimes we need God because the healing is beyond our reach.
  Ask and it shall be given. If we ask for God's help, He always is ready to give it, for God is truly merciful, loving and nurturing. As any parent wold do whatever is needed to help their own child be relieved of stress and sadness, so to will our Father. Jesus taught this in his ministry. Those who had faith. Those who believed with all their heart that God would change their life if they asked, their lives were changed. They walked. They saw. They were saved.
  If we believe in our merciful God. If we believe that God can help our relationships. If we believe that God can heal and protect us. Then we have a greater power than anything else in this world. It never ceases to amaze me what the power of prayer and the power of God can do. Especially for those who believe in it.