Something I deal with in my marriage and parenting classes is CONFLICT RESOLUTION.  I spent a lot of time in my life avoiding conflict because I wanted to please people and I just wasn’t good at confrontation.  I would stuff everything and use logic to talk my way out of the confrontation, or worse yet, just blame myself for everything since I was always so critical of myself anyway.  None of these strategies help you grow.  The bottom line is that conflict is inevitable and even healthy!  We can’t avoid all conflict, but, instead, we can embrace it and allow it to let us grow!  If we let it, conflict will keep us humble.  When things don’t go our way, we’re forced to recognize we can’t control everything. As I have shared over the last several weeks, we can plan ahead and make wise decisions, but we are not the masters of the universe.  Conflict reminds us that life is NOT about us, it’s about God first and others before us.

2 Corinthians 12:5-7 (NIV)

5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

So, What… for This Week?

Remember this week that conflict isn’t about the obstacles, but it’s about the opportunities!  Look for opportunities to allow conflict to make YOU grow.  Choose to be humble, not be offended, trust God and love others, but then speak out of that love from a new perspective and see where conflict brings you!