An Example of Restoration/Restitution

I'm not the type that cries easily.
Now as I'm getting older, the tears come more easily. But when I was younger... no way.

Anyway, one time, over ten years ago while my husband still pastored, I sat bawling in the car. There was a couple in our church that had turned on me. Before that, I had felt God specifically tell me to take them under my wing and love them. And I did, not knowing what was in store for me.

Making a long story short, the husband of this couple had a negligent, abusive mother. And the wife's mother wasn't as bad, but was a trouble maker. All the bottled up anger they had towards their mothers they took out on me after the honeymoon of the relationship was over. They turned on me like I had never been turned on before. And I hurt. I grieved for the relationship because I opened my heart toward them and loved them with a deep and real love. My heart was broken.

As I sat in the car and bawled, I asked God why.

First thing I felt that I heard from Him was something like, "Are you sorry that you ever had a relationship with them?"

When I really searched my heart, my answer was, no. I still loved them and appreciated the good times we had before things went south. I was just upset that things went south and I wanted it back the way it used to be. So I told God that I wasn't sorry for the relationship.

His next question took me off guard. "What can I give to you that will make it up to you."

It took me so off guard that I didn't even know what to ask. I fumbled around a bit then asked God, "What should I ask for?"

"Ask Me for a house."

I started laughing. We needed a bigger house. The one we were in was two sizes too small for our family. So I asked for a bigger house.

In a few years, I had one. A good one through an unexpected inheritance.

As far as that couple was concerned, they did come around eventually.

I'm not sure, but part of me thinks that God wanted a situation where this couple could get their anger towards their mothers to the surface. He asked me to step in knowing that these two were boiling pots that needed to blow. And He could trust me to not retaliate or return abuse upon them. All I did was grieve over them, like a bereaved mother, and pray for them. And that's all He wanted from me. He would handle the rest.

And it wasn't a bad situation for me when it was all over. I got a house and the couple came back as friends.

God asked a favor. I obeyed. It blew up in my face. And He made it up to me.