Several weeks ago my ring broke in the back of the band. When it happened I knew I had two options, I could ignore it and continue wearing it or I could take the effort to fix it. I should have seen it coming because there was a faint line down it that indicated a weakness, but I let it slide hoping it was simply a surface mark rather than an internal issue.

Isn't that how broken relationships happen? Small things get overlooked in ignorance or in hopes that it was unimportant. And just like my ring, we have the same two options to chose from when dealing with a broken relationship; we can ignore it, or we can fix it.

Luckily with my ring I chose to take it off until getting it fixed. However, if I continued wearing it without dealing with the issue no one would have noticed. I could have carried on as normal. The problem would be that the break would turn into a larger gap making it more difficult to mend later on.

All too often with relationships we are afraid that we will only make matters worse when trying to fix it, so we don't. We ignore the issue. Left that way for long periods of time you are left with a great chasm. By the time you'd try to fix the relationship that has been broken you won't even know where to start.

Unfortunately I didn't take the wiser route in my relationship with my dad. We ignored it. I didn't pretend it didn't exist, because I was very aware as I continued to walk on eggshells. So how do you go about fixing a broken relationship that's been left to decay?


Well, how am I going to fix my ring?
I could try gluing it together. But that wouldn't really fix the problem. That would only take two stubborn objects and force them together. No, my ring needs to be soldered. It needs to be heated up in order to become malliable enough to be mended.

In order to fix this relationship with my dad it's going to hurt. It needs to get put in the fire with the hot coals before it can be soft enough to change. I'm going to want to turn around and run away from it like I have done over the years.

But there's one more important part of the soldering process that can't be forgotten, and that is the solder itself. The solder is like the middle man. The gap between the two ends of my ring need something to fill it up in order for the gap to be mended.

This broken relationship with my dad can't be fixed without help, I need a solder's assistance. I need God's help. Without God in the mix, even if the relationship is fixed it will be just as easily broken as before. With God as the solder this relationship can be fixed and remain strong.


Will it be easy? No
Will I want to run? Yes
Will it be a quick recovery? No
Will it be worth it? Yes


Broken relationships take effort, humility, and perseverance to fix them. They need to be put in the fire and soldered.

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