If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve experienced some sort of conflict. Whether it’s a misunderstanding, a difference of opinions, or down right being mistreated. Let’s face it… it hurts!
How do you respond to hurt? Do you:
- Retaliate
- Be hurtful back
- Argue
- State your point
- Get feisty
- Can you feel your heart beat faster
- Do you toss and turn at night
- Do you rehearse conversations in your mind
We all get hurt. We won’t all get along or agree. That’s just life and a realistic outlook. But how are we suppose to respond? What’s the biblical, God-honoring way we are to handle these very personal, real-life events?
Ask yourself the following questions:
1) Does this even warrant a response?
2) Is this something that will personally affect me?
3) Can I speak the truth in love without sounding hypocritical?
4) Can I come across in a prayerful and humble way?
5) Will this edify and uplift the Body of Christ?
Even when we say yes, and move forward, we can still be misunderstood. What do we do then?
- Realize that it is only the Holy Spirit’s job to convict and change a heart.
- Realize He may be doing a work in your own heart during the process.
- Pray for that person and ask for a peaceable attitude towards them.
- In the heat of the moment, don’t ever speak words that you will regret.
- Always ask God for wisdom and a grace-giving outlook.
- Don’t let it affect your relationship with your Lord and Savior, Jesus.
- Seek to please Jesus first.
- You can’t change someone else’s behavior, but you can change your own.
Relevant scripture related to this issue of strained relationships
within the body of Christ:
Ephesians 1:4-5
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”Psalm 133:1
“How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!”
1 Corinthians 9:23
“I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
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