If you are still avoiding conflict, you need to ask yourself the question…Do you really want to grow? Well, if you do, are you willing to change? Most people wouldn’t categorize conflict with growth because with past conflict, you may have become bitter, resentful and mean-spirited. Others, on the other hand come out of the pain of confrontation with optimism, and a richer faith. No matter what category you fall in, when you go through conflict, you usually feel beaten up, broken and sometimes, deeply hurt your circumstances. The difference between growth and allowing bitterness is how we respond to the conflict. When we use it to grow, we’ve learned to place our hope in God, not in changing circumstances.
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
So, What… for This Week?
Ultimately conflict resolution gives us the opportunity to display the gospel to others and experience God’s grace in our own lives. When you realize you’re in the midst of conflict, use it as an opportunity to hold on to Jesus and grow more into the person He’s made you to be.