Rebuilding Broken Family Relationships: Steps Towards Reconnection

During my youth, my family faced financial hardships as a result of war and post-war challenges. The presence of relatives in Slovenia, Germany, and Sweden proved to be a great source of support and blessings for us. I often reflect on the affectionate gestures, warm smiles, and helping hands of my aunts and cousins.

Oh gosh, I could write about good memories of each of them, but I want to honor one in particular today. My cousin Jopa moved with her family to Sweden when the war in Croatia started. She was a middle child in her family, and when her mum, my aunt, got ill and suffered from depression, Jopa took over most of the housework. Jopa also worked and went to college. She was keeping her family together after the divorce of her parents.

Despite her challenges, which I knew nothing about at the time, she would save money to come and visit and bless her relatives in Croatia. She considered herself blessed and wanted to bless her extended family. I remember times when she and her sister would bring their second-hand clothes for me. I don’t know why, but that would bring so much joy to my heart. Once, when I complimented Jopa on her new sweater, she took it off and gave it to me. She is an especially kind person.

Her brother and sister were raised by the same parents and have the same sacrificial hearts towards extended family. They are all blessings of God that bless others, in spite of their life difficulties, which they do not like to complain about. 

When I went into missions, they supported me by organizing vacations for me in Sweden. Once I took Martina (my niece) with me, and my relatives were gracious enough to take us both under their wings. We were really blessed.

After my last visit, something shifted between my relatives and me, and we became estranged. I am not quite sure what happened, but we lost touch. Occasionally, we send messages to each other, as well as greetings when they visit my mum, but the relationship is not as close as it used to be.

When facing challenges, many individuals take action in an attempt to resolve them. Results may vary - sometimes situations improve, while other times they remain unchanged. Personally, I prefer to address my difficulties through prayer, seeking divine guidance for healing and renewal.

Not long ago, a former pastor who now resides in Sweden, reached out to me regarding my family. He invited me to visit him and my family in Sweden, but I declined. Instead, I agreed to pray, this time together with Cobo, our ex-pastor.

As I write this blog post, I understand that some readers may be rolling their eyes. Perhaps some are skeptical about the time spent in prayer without tangible efforts, while others may have personal biases against me or Cobo, or for various other reasons.

The reason behind my extensive prayer practice is straightforward: my past experiences with fractured relationships have taught me the importance of seeking insight and wisdom in all relationships, especially with close family members. Restoring broken relationships requires divine guidance, as the root causes of brokenness are often complex and not easily remedied. True restoration necessitates a divine intervention, leading to a transformation of hearts that results in the restoration of trust, love, and mutual respect through God's grace. New paths must be forged for this transformation to occur. It is a divine process that requires divine intervention, not merely human effort. Therefore, spending time in solitude with Jesus opens doors to divine connections and divine appointments at the appointed time.

Do you have a close family relationship that is in need of restoration? You can start praying for the person. Remember to keep praying. Do not give up!