我皺著眉頭望著手機，深深嘆了一口氣，因煩惱而愁眉深鎖。我和一個朋友為了兒女的事，發生了激烈的爭執。我知道自己必須打電話向她道歉，卻不想這麼做，因為我們的意見仍然相左，但我知道自己和她爭論這件事的時候，態度並不友善，也不謙卑。

我一直很猶豫，不知道到底要不要打這通電話，萬一她不肯原諒我呢？如果她想和我絕交怎麼辦？就在我胡思亂想之際，一首詩歌的歌詞浮現腦海，讓我想起自己為這件事向上帝認罪的那一刻。我頓時如釋重負，因為我知道上帝已經赦免了我，使我不必再背負罪惡感。

當我們要解決人際問題時，對方會如何回應是我們無法控制的。但只要我們承認自己的錯誤，謙卑懇求原諒，並做出任何需要的改變，我們便可以將之交託給上帝，讓祂修復我們的人際問題。即使我們不得不忍受無法解決的人際問題所造成的痛苦，但我們永遠可以享有與上帝和好的關係。上帝正敞開雙臂，等著賜給我們所需的一切恩典與憐憫。「我們若認自己的罪，上帝是信實的，是公義的，必要赦免我們的罪，洗淨我們一切的不義」（約翰一書1章9節）。

I frowned at my cellphone and sighed. Worry wrinkled my brow. A friend and I had had a serious disagreement over an issue with our children, and I knew I needed to call her and apologize. I didn’t want to do it because our viewpoints were still in conflict, yet I knew I hadn’t been kind or humble the last time we discussed the matter.

Anticipating the phone call, I wondered, What if she doesn’t forgive me? What if she doesn’t want to continue our friendship? Just then, lyrics to a song came to mind and took me back to the moment when I confessed my sin in the situation to God. I felt relief because I knew God had forgiven me and released me from guilt.

We can’t control how people will respond to us when we try to work out relational problems. As long as we own up to our part, humbly ask for forgiveness, and make any changes needed, we can let God handle the healing. Even if we have to endure the pain of unresolved “people problems,” peace with Him is always possible. God’s arms are open, and He is waiting to show us the grace and mercy we need. “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).