How to respond in the midst of conflict

This past Sunday we continued our series "But Why?" This entire series we are going to look at the Why behind the What at WFC!!! We will break down our vision of Faith, Family & Fun. You can listen to the podcast at http://www.wyandottefamily.com/listen.html or you can download it from iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wyandotte-family-church/id478735158  

Conflict is everywhere, in every relationship and exists on every continent. Wherever you find people you will find conflict...even in the "church family." So, knowing conflict is coming and will continue to come, how should we respond?

If you are not interested in growing through conflict and are not open to change at this current moment that you probably do not want to keep reading this blog. Just stop and come back in a later time. But those of you who are ready for something different. Those of you who are ready to see better results from conflict and stronger relationships, keep reading.

Ephesians 4:2--Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for reach other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit...

These short couple of verses have so much meat we could chew on this for weeks and months. The first response to conflict is to be humble. Humility in conflict simply means acknowledging our role in the matter or issue. So many times all we can see is what the other person has done. As bad as it may be, we have played a part in it as well. The second response is to be gentle. Why would we be gentle? Because we care about the other person. The goal of conflict is to restore communication and the relationship not prove we are right. I don't know about you but I could stop now and pray for the next year for myself to be humble and gentle.

It goes on to say be patient with each other, making allowances for each others faults because of your love. Making allowances for each others faults doesn't mean we position ourselves to get hurt over and over again, it simply means we recognize that the other person is human like us. They will mistreat, misunderstand, disappoint, forget and even at times say wrong things, just like us. Verse 2 is strongly connected to verse 3.

Make every effort to keep yourselves unified in the Spirit. When we make allowances for each others faults, we don't run from conflict but we pursue peace. We don't give up on others and write them off, we commit to working through it, growing through it, praying through it, talking through it and loving through it. When we make allowances for each others faults, peace and unity are our chief goals.

It is my prayer that all us take a step toward handling conflict the way God calls us to. I pray that churches become stronger as the "church family" makes a pre-choice choice to deal with conflict instead of running away hurt and offended. I can't wait to see the "body of Christ" (spiritual family) shine like never before in the coming days as we handle conflict better.