Wisdom Wednesday
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Friendships can be one of the most enriching experiences in life and one of the most heartbreaking. Conflict is a normal part of any relationship and friendships usually have their fair share. How do we deal with conflict within our friendships?
I could have used a number of passages. In fact, let me mention one or two more right now.
Proverbs 15:1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Matthew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Hebrews 12:14-15, Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
So there’s some thoughts. What do you make of these passages?
What do I make of them?
Firstly, I think they suggest Christians should seek resolution as much as they are able. Many people choose to respond to conflict or hurt by ignoring it or escaping from it. You see this in friendships. One person just stops responding to the other. Or maybe both happily just pursue distance rather than resolution. I think Christian friendship means to pursue peace rather than ignore a cold conflict.
Secondly, we pursue peace with gentleness. We work hard at de-escalating conflict with kindness and gentleness. In some ways how we resolve the conflict is just as important as resolving it.
Thirdly, I don’t think making peace means accepting ongoing sin. Resolving the conflict is not compromising on the holiness of God and His people.
Finally, we practise forgiveness. People will sin against us and we will sin against them. But Jesus forgave us far more than we will ever have to forgive anyone else.
There’s a few thoughts.
For Today:
Pray:
Ephesians 4:31-32
Friendships can be one of the most enriching experiences in life and one of the most heartbreaking. Conflict is a normal part of any relationship and friendships usually have their fair share. How do we deal with conflict within our friendships?
I could have used a number of passages. In fact, let me mention one or two more right now.
Proverbs 15:1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Matthew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Hebrews 12:14-15, Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
So there’s some thoughts. What do you make of these passages?
What do I make of them?
Firstly, I think they suggest Christians should seek resolution as much as they are able. Many people choose to respond to conflict or hurt by ignoring it or escaping from it. You see this in friendships. One person just stops responding to the other. Or maybe both happily just pursue distance rather than resolution. I think Christian friendship means to pursue peace rather than ignore a cold conflict.
Secondly, we pursue peace with gentleness. We work hard at de-escalating conflict with kindness and gentleness. In some ways how we resolve the conflict is just as important as resolving it.
Thirdly, I don’t think making peace means accepting ongoing sin. Resolving the conflict is not compromising on the holiness of God and His people.
Finally, we practise forgiveness. People will sin against us and we will sin against them. But Jesus forgave us far more than we will ever have to forgive anyone else.
There’s a few thoughts.
For Today:
- Are you experiencing conflict in a friendship right now?
- What is the first step to making peace?
- Pray that God would help you be a peacemaker.
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He is holy, gentle, kind and forgiving.
- Give thanks for Jesus Christ who is the ultimate peacemaker and reconciles us with God.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others be peacemakers.
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