“Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” (JAMES 5:16 AMP)
If you have been in church for any length of time, you’ve probably heard and said part of this scripture at least a million times. The King James says “the prayers of the righteous availeth much”. Remember now? Well, today, I was drawn to the first part of the scripture and it tapped me on the shoulder and started speaking. I am going to be as brief as I can but I really believe that the Lord is calling for maturity from the saints, especially when it means acknowledging and correcting your own faults.
It is much easier to see what is wrong with other people, right? How they hurt you or what they said and we forget that often there is another side and another perspective. Now, I am not talking about those clear situations where it is easy to see the victim and who was wronged. I’m talking about what often happens in friendships when something happens that is left unresolved or not discussed. It’s challenging because in those situations, silence has often won the battle. “I’m waiting on her to say something,” or “He ought to know how I feel so I’m not going to say anything.” Sound familiar? But James 5:16 challenges us to account for OUR own sins and missteps not just the other person’s. What would the world be like if we all held ourselves accountable for what we missed or got wrong?
Can I challenge you today to fix it? Whether it is a face to face, a phone call or a Marco Polo, identify those relationships in your life that you left unresolved, and do what you need to do to make it right. Sometimes an apology is all that is needed. Let me clarify! I’m not telling you that you should go searching out old relationships that the Lord has released you from but I’m referring to the ones that you know didn’t end correctly. Time passing doesn’t always mean resolution has taken place.
Be honest with yourself about those situations! Did you misinterpret? Is there another side or possibility? Did you misunderstand? Look closely so that you can do your part in fixing what might otherwise stay broken. Why are you asking me to do this, Ebony? Because the other key part of that verse is the answer. So YOU will be healed and restored. The resolution is for you and your wellbeing more than anything else so your prayers can really be effective because your heart is pure and your hands are clean. Let’s be willing to do the hard stuff so that we can reap the good benefits.
Amen
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