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The Outcome Doesn't Matter

**This blog is about the election in an indirect way**

So let me tell you all what has been going on. Recently, my pastor has been has been preaching a series on holiness. His emphasis has not been on physical holiness and purity so much as spiritual holiness and the way we (as Christians) treat one another. Reconciliation was the buzz word.

You see, as Christians, we are obliged to forgive those who have wronged us. The so-called Lord's Prayer actually makes the Father's forgiveness of us contingent on our ability and willingness to forgive others. Across the board, I am unlikely to be met with any opposition about the Christian's duty to forgive.

However, when it comes to reconciliation? That is another story. Indeed, a lot of the rhetoric our there in Christendom surrounds forgiving, but not forgetting (read: forgiveness without reconciliation). But how can we name the name of Christ and refuse to be reconciled?

That was the point of my pastor's sermon series. So I thought of a situation where a woman (a former friend) believed I had spread a damaging rumour about her. Indeed, I had not, but she believed I had. She claimed to forgive me, but refused to speak to or interact with me at all. For the space of about a year and a half, I made intermittent attempts to reach out to her. To discuss what she heard. To explain how I could never have said those awful things about her. To pray with her. To cry with her. To hug her. To be reconciled. She refused.

Until the sermon series. Even though, I did not want to reach out again, fearing I would be rebuffed, I followed the leading of the Lord and I requested a meeting. This time she accepted. Before the meeting, I prayed. I asked God to make us both receptive to the other and to give us the right words to say.

We met. Long story short: it did not go well. Nothing was resolved. No reconciliation. And you guys... I tried. I really did.  She seemed to have had her mind made up regarding the situation, and though she agreed to meet, reconciliation was not on her mind. I was dismayed and disappointed at the way everything ended up.

As I was lamenting the outcome, I realized that I had no control over it. My sole obligation was to be obedient to the Lord and reach out. I did that. God has to do the rest.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in our efforts and their sincerity that we believe that they must yield the appropriate outcome immediately. That isn't always the case. God is in control. We are not. Our duty is to honor God in our words and actions. If we do that, then the outcome doesn't matter. God will take care of the rest.

Same thing with this election. The outcome does not matter. God is in control. Honor Him with your vote and let Him handle the rest.

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