Have you ever had a fight with a friend or family member that lasted for a really long time? Maybe you and your best friend had an argument months ago, and even though you both miss each other, neither of you wants to be the first one to say sorry. Or maybe you and your sibling got in a big fight, and now you barely talk to each other.

Broken relationships are really hard! But here’s something important to know: healing relationships takes both time AND effort.

Joseph and his brothers learned this lesson. It took time for everyone to heal from the hurt of what happened. Joseph needed time to forgive his brothers for selling him as a slave. His brothers needed time to deal with their guilt and shame. But they also had to put in effort. They had to be willing to confess what they did wrong, ask for forgiveness, and work to rebuild their relationship.

Sometimes we think that time alone will fix relationship problems. We think, “If I just wait long enough, everything will go back to normal.” But that’s not usually how it works! Healing broken relationships requires effort from both people—like being willing to admit when we’re wrong, asking for forgiveness, and choosing to forgive others.

Think About It: Is there a relationship in your life that needs healing? Maybe it’s with a friend, a sibling, a parent, or even a teacher? Ask God to help you understand how He wants to heal that relationship. Sometimes He might want you to be the first one to say sorry. Sometimes He might want you to forgive someone who hasn’t even asked for forgiveness yet. And sometimes He might want you to be patient and let time do its work while you pray. Remember, God is an expert at helping people reconcile!