InTouch Magazine March 2008 Issue: Thursday March 6, 2008 Devotional.
READ: Proverbs 26:4; James 1:19; Luke 12:12; Romans 8:28
"When conflict arises, we oftentimes want to rush in and defend our position. Perhaps we even feel justified in blaming others. However, James 1:19 gives different advice for dealing with tension and disputes: 'Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.' In other words, more can be accomplished through a calm approach to the situation. Scripture also suggests that we:
Pray. First, we should ask the Lord to guard our mouth and give us the right words to say (Luke 12:12). Also, we ought to request discernment concerning the root issue and insight as to whether we might be at fault.
See with divine perspective. Our sovereign Lord works every situation for the believer's benefit (Romans 8:28). Not only does God use difficulties to teach us, but He also allows us to demonstrate the life of Christ by the way we respond.
Forgive. Even if someone has hurt us by causing the conflict, we should forgive. Jesus died to pardon all of our sin, and we, in turn, should forgive others. In fact, if we don't, our lives will become burdened by resentment and broken relationships.
Respond. If we have done something wrong, we should apologize and ask forgiveness. Otherwise, we can express appreciation that the other person took time to share his concern. Also, we should affirm that we will carefully consider his comments."
So...how do you respond to conflict in your life?
Meaningful Conversations
7 years ago
3 comments:
I'm not much for (negative) confrontation...I guess not many people are (if you are, talk with Jesus). But the steps given in this devotional have proven to be beneficial in my life. It may not seem reasonable to go through these steps when an altercation suddenly arises, but with these thoughts in the back of our minds we will be better equipped to handle those situations in a godly manner.
I find Romans 8:28 to be an amazing verse. Like you said, it reminds me that there is a divine prospective, or the "big picture" that we can't see from our point of view. The people I work with seem to love confrontation, and it is extremely frustrating at times for me because I am quite the opposite. Though I would love to respond in anger, I know that I must forgive and pray for them in order to continue to do God's will. The best part is that God is eager to bless us and uses these confrontations to strengthen our souls for future situations we never see coming.
yeah, that is a good way to look at your situation. i believe everything we go through is an opportunity for us to shine for God. other people definitely watch how we carry ourselves as christians and because of that we have to be extra careful how we act and how we handle the different situations we are presented with.
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