Most of us know that confessing & forgiving are important parts of reconciling a relationship. So why don’t we just go straight to that when we are in conflict with someone else? Is it our inherent fear of rejection? I personally do not do well with rejection in any manner. I want to be liked, I want to make people laugh, and I want to feel overall like I am a good person. But because of this mindset, sometimes I can approach a disagreement in my relationships by avoiding the conflict altogether. This just makes the spaces in my relationships larger instead of closing the gap, as we heard about last week!
I have to start looking inwardly at myself. I must ask God to come into my heart and change my thinking. I cannot be so caught up in the flesh that my only concern is “being liked.” God made us to have relationships. And He knows we aren’t perfect. He asks us to recognize our conflicts in relationships and work on them! Not to run and hide, not to fear, not to give up when the going get’s tough. Sometimes, He’s solely calling us to be the bigger person, admit our wrongs, and move on.
Because let’s be honest here.. Jesus gives us a whole bunch of scripture about how important relationships are! Just to name a few… Matthew 18:20 reads For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
John 15:12 reads My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
He gives us the most important ways all throughout scripture of how to be in good relationships with other people – to love others, to not do life alone, to share meals, to put others above ourselves, and so on.
Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you for your example of Jesus. Thank you for the role model He is for all of us. Next time I feel conflicted in a relationship, please guide me to turn to You and Your word first and then approach the person or situation with grace and kindness. It’s in Your name I do pray. Amen.