Repairing The Past.

Luke 19:8 (NIV)~ "If I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Zacchaeus discovered that you CANT be right with God until you are first right with those you've hurt. Joseph discovered that being Prime Minister in Egypt doesnt mean much if your family relationships are strained. Relationships are like a house. If you dont maintain it your task wont be to repair it- it will be to rebuild it. We each carry within us the experience of our yesterdays. They influence our relationshihps, our choices, our view of ourselves, even our understanding of God.

You can't live in a spiritually healthy fashion if you have an unrepaired past.

For a long time Jacob lived that way. He took advantage of his brother Esau, manipulating him out of his inheritance. Then when things got bad between them he fled the country. When he returned home, he did so fearing the face of his brother. In his case the relationship was healed but it doesnt always end that way.

Repairing the past is best done immediately. Patching up wounded relationships, dealing with festering regrets, letting go of feelings toward someone who's betrayed you; these issues lie deep within us as if asleep. Then suddenly they're awakened by some "trigger". It could be an anniversary, It could be an old face in the crowd or it could be a particular song on the radio, but they dont go away until we DEAL WITH THEM. How? By forgiving, and when possible making restitution. You see, forgiveness isnt just for the other person's benefit-it's for yours. So, is there a relationship you need to repair today? If so, take care of it!!