CONFLICT – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.
How important relationships are! More than anything else, good and open relationships have encouraged and motivated me to press on in times of hardship, opposition or ill health. on the other hand, if ever i have wanted to quit and leave, it is because of strained or broken relationships. Relationship problems sap our joy, health and energy; they cause us sleepless nights, headaches and stomach ulcers.
We tend to consider conflict as something negative, and its absence a blessing. But is this a realistic view? After all, it is obvious that some problems are unavoidable and therefore to be expected. Conflict is inherent in human life. In addition, we need to recognise the fact that conflict is not necessarily bad in itself. Conflict is normal, natural and neutral. Our reaction to the conflict determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative force in our lives. Each conflict or crisis presents us with an opportunity to grow and mature.
Physical pain often motivates us to seek medical help. In the same way, emotional pain or conflict can be a motivation for us to seek to change and to learn to relate better to the people around us. It is not in spite of problems and conflicts that we become more mature people, but because of them. The Apostle James exhorts us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverence. Perseverence must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1: 2-4).
Although there is a potential for growth through conflict we must emphasize that it is not an automatic result of it. Tragically, some people suffer for nothing. There is a choice involved. Each conflict presents an opportunity, but also a risk. Hebrews chapter 12 tells us that we are to submit to our heavenly Father when He allows hardship to discipline us. We have to be trained by this discipline, so that we can reap the benefit of maturity.
Of course, we can refuse to submit; we can rebel against the Trainer and the training; we can choose to react with our natural pattern of reactions and fight circumstances and people. If we do this the conflict will still produce fruit in our lives, but of a negative sort. We will become angry, critical and defeated. Only if we submit to God and learn to react with spiritual responses, will the maturing take place.
A real hindrance to growth is that we are often not honest about conflict. If we think that Christians should not have difficulties, we tend to deny or conceal our problems. Growth comes by facing conflicts and dealing with them in the right way.
GOD BLESS.
No one deliberately wishes to be a lukewarm or weak Christian, but when your Christian standards are compromised your spiritual life will inevitably be adversely affected. It is simply a matter of time before these second-class standardsdrive out the dynamic principles of the Master. And then they become a pleasant, gentle-sounding philosophy that no longer challenges you to a life of quality and excellence.
If you remember to turn to Jesus in all circumstances and place your trust in Him completely, you will experience the protected love of God that will grant you the peace that transcends all understanding. And then you will never again feel as if you are alone in life.
What is exactly happening is that you have allowed the challenges of the world to exceed your spiritual reserves. The demands of life have proved your faith to be insufficient. When you feel you have reached breaking point, you need to return to the fundamentals of your faith, and assure yourself of the presence of God in your life. This will help you to restore the balance in your life so that you can see people and events in the right perspective.