A prayer for God to heal a broken friendship by Ann Dahlhouser.

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it.

If a foe were rising against me, I could hide.

But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed

sweet fellowship at the House of God, as we walked about among the worshippers.

Psalm 55 12 through 14.

Conflicts are fertile ground in which relationships can grow deeper.

Recently, I had the gift, yes, the gift, of a season of awkward dancing and miscommunicating

with a friend.

We needed to focus on completing a task together, but we came to the work table hunched over

with the weights of baggage and securities, fears and distrust.

As we worked, sensitive nerves repressed and tensions rose to the point of nearly abandoning

the task completely, nearly.

But neither of us took the exit ramp, praise God.

We stayed in it and willed our feet to stay pointed toward the benefit of the doubt.

Friends, what if unconditional Jesus love, the kind that secures the insecure, that

heals the distrust, that covers shame, bandages hurts and lifts off years of baggage?

What if that kind of love is birthed from conflict-induced pain, not despite it?

So, raise the white flag, choose grace, ignore the exit ramp and stay standing on that fertile,

hopeful ground of loving relationships in God's family.

No good works, embellished with stick figures and I love Jesus' hearts, can distract

the Heavenly Father from the reality of His children leaving conflict unresolved.

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