As we progress through life, we meet many different types of people, some will become our friends for a time, but fewer will be our friends for life. Personal relationships make up a huge part of our lives as men, how we treat our fellow men, and how they treat us. Everyone is wired differently, has had different upbringings, and often holds different views than us. It is these differences that sometimes make life challenging or at least interesting.
Dealing With Conflict Through Forgiveness- Conflict
People may hold a different view than you on areas like politics, morality, religion, or many other subjects, and now and then our differences bring us into conflict.
Showing respect for every person we meet in life is vital if we are to live in this world in peace, whether we agree with their worldview or not.
On issues that we feel deeply about personally, we often hold strong views. When two people meet who both hold strong, but differing opinions on a subject there can be conflict. Conflict left unresolved can lead to one or both people having their feelings hurt, which may leave an emotional scar for some.
Dealing With Conflict Through Forgiveness- Emotional Scars
Those among us who are more sensitive emotionally are the most susceptible to being scarred. These are the type of scars that don’t show on the outside, they can’t be seen but may be felt powerfully as they are scars upon our hearts.
People sometimes do things or say things that wound another person emotionally, and these hurts stay in their hearts for a lifetime. These injuries may come through conflict when issues arise within our marriage and with our spouse. Some people deny that they have had their feelings hurt, but still feel emotional pain when the other person is seen or mentioned in conversation. If we are the ones who have been hurt emotionally, we can either live with it or take steps to become free of the hurt, by implementing the process of forgiveness.
If we on the other hand have done or said something that has hurt another person, we should resolve the issue with them by asking for their forgiveness.
This can sometimes happen years after the initial conflict but is no less powerful or useful. Forgiveness, either given to another or received from another person is a pathway to internal peace and external goodwill. "Peace on earth and goodwill among all men!” is often proclaimed at Christmas time, but it is an experience that is best lived daily.
Dealing With Conflict Through Forgiveness- The Cycle Of Hurt
When a person is wounded emotionally, they are far more likely to hurt someone else, for we all live out of who we are on the inside.
There is a cycle that forms of people being hurt and therefore hurting others, and this cycle continues to multiply throughout society unless the process is broken. Forgiveness is the most powerful way to break this cycle and bring peace back into human relationships.
Dealing With Conflict Through Forgiveness- Jesus Teaching
(Luke 17:1-3)
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
Conflicts between people are unfortunately inevitable, but how we deal with these conflicts can either set us and others free or leave us bound emotionally for a lifetime. For those who need to be freed from the scars of the heart, I would encourage you to click on the link and read my full teaching on ‘The Process of Forgiveness’.
God Bless
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