Conflicts

Most people I know avoid conflicts or confrontational situations. We have a tendency to hope that the problem takes care of itself and goes away. If it doesn’t, we seek someone to intervene, seek counsel and try to find a formula or a method to deal with the situation. Whatever the problem or the result, the process is a difficult and an unpleasant experience.

There is one “formula” that has been helpful to me over the years. That is, falling on my hands and knees before the God of the Universe begging for mercy and for more grace. I wouldn’t call it boldness, but I need God’s grace because I need some courage. I need His wisdom because I don’t know how to proceed. I need God’s intervention because too many things can go wrong. I need His mercy because, even if I did something right, the results may be catastrophic. And I need His peace because this is a stressful situation.

Why would anyone want to enter a fiery furnace or walk through the valley of the shadow of death without His Presence? Even if the worst case scenario takes place, when God is involved, He is big enough to fix it and make things okay. Moses understood this and told God, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16) I think these are great words from a very wise man.