Conflict is a fact of life. People have different motives, methods, perspectives, and desires. Some of these are sinful some are not. In fact trying to live a godly life in a sinful world will create conflict. Conflict per se isn't necessarily bad. But we have a problem when conflict stems from, is expressed with, or remains unresolved, because of sinful motives, attitudes, or actions.
God's Word addresses conflict with real practical direction aimed at our motives, attitudes, and actions.
You experience a real dilemma in sensitive conversations: how do you deal with different values, beliefs, priorities, worldviews, and behaviours while still caring for the person and staying involved in his or her life?
James deals directly with a common problem among Christians—“playing God.” Having just exposed our tendency to be self-assertive and quarrelsome, he goes a step further and shows a couple of the more familiar ways we assert an arrogant spirit.
In James 4:1-10, there is set forth the reasons for fights among believers as well as their tragic results. But James doesn't leave us without some answers on how to stop those conflicts that have taken their toll within our ranks.
We’ve all said we would do something and not followed through. We started strong; we had every intention of doing it. And then, somewhere along the way, we got sidetracked.
Knowing what you mean and meaning what you say are the first steps in effective communication. Knowing what God means and says is the first step to effective communication with Him.
For the past 26 years during my journey with my wife Cornelia I’ve come to understand two very important elements of a strong marriage.
Do whatever you can to be at peace with all those around you. Practice forgiveness. Be helpful. Do little things, such as write letters of encouragement, or make a phone call or two.
The key to loving our enemies is to consider God’s love for us.
We’ve all been there—recalling an experience and each time feeling the searing ache in our heart, the churning and knotting in the pit of our stomach, or the burning anger welling up.
A reporter once asked a couple how they had managed to stay married 65 years. The woman replied, “We were born in a time when if something was broken, we would fix it, not throw it away.”
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