2013
We are either in something, just coming out of something or going into something. We are always going through it but we’re never going under.
I am blessed to have spent time in the last day or two with someone who really understands me, she knows where I have come from and she believes in me.
At the same time I have spent time with someone who really does not get me. She has a few issues with me and I try to be on the side of reconciliation with her all the time.
Why do we have conflict?
Because people are involved. People become stubborn. Someone asked me this week was I still intransigent but they then corrected themselves and said in transit.
I wonder
Sometimes when we make a mistake like that, it really isn’t a mistake.
So I took stock of each area of my life, just to see if I could see a bit of me “Digging my heels in”
And that just made me laugh out loud, in fact there was some PMSL as well.
A year ago I was refusing point blank to believe in myself enough to listen accurately to the Lord as to how He wanted to use me. It was more a “Who, me, you have gotta be joking? You know who I am, what I have done, what I have just done, you don’t want me, seriously you DO NOT WANT ME.”
And now, I say yes, I am not always sure of what is going to happen when I say yes. A bit like Abraham when he was told to leave Ur, he didn’t know what was going to happen next but he packed up his tent and went where the Lord told him. Or like Philip in the bible study yesterday – hey Philip go and stand in the mid day sun in the middle of nowhere and I am not telling you why.
Suzie, learn to preach, learn to teach, learn to lead bible studies and worship, learn how to take Sunday school, learn how to do youth club, learn how to share the message with all age groups, meet with people in need, fellowship with people of all ages, grow in your faith, build up people, step up when needed, step sideways when needed, step back when needed oh and I will throw in a few more balls to juggle every now and then.
And I said
Yes.
Philips Translation of NT: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 – As far as we are concerned we do not wish to stand in anyone’s way, nor do we wish to bring discredit on the ministry God has given us. Indeed we want to prove ourselves genuine ministers of God whatever we have to go through – patient endurance of troubles or even disasters, being flogged or imprisoned; being mobbed, having to work like slaves, having to go without food or sleep. All this we want to meet with sincerity, with insight and patience; by sheer kindness and the Holy Spirit; with genuine love, speaking the plain truth, and living by the power of God. Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
2 Corinthians 6:3-10
So no I am so flexible, I am not digging my heels in. Yesterday I had to potentially meet with someone who really does not like me, but, it didn’t happen and I was thankful.
Managing conflict is not easy, the scenario I avoid most is the “divorce” this is not especial to marriage. Coping with difficult people is hard because we are all difficult people. Sometimes though a person cannot be in your life, cannot be part of your life but we can still love them.
I watched a divorce happen recently between two men. One left the room justified that they had done the right thing, the other left the room, wounded, angry and wrong or wronged.
I wonder if loads of people have problems with me, are there swathes of people in dispute with me. Hilariously a woman I used to know popped up this week, a theme of this year, she hated me so much, I tried to change so much of me so she would like me, but she never did. She was a social animal always having meals at her house and going out for meals, meeting for afternoon tea. She was very popular and I thought it would be fun to be in her circle. No matter what I tried I was not good enough. I didn’t understand it and I was hurt.
So bless her, she pops up and lets it be known I have offended her. I am sat in my peaceful place looking out at this floundering seal, in the water she is showing off but there is no substance and so when she lands on the beach she is stranded.
Yes it is upsetting when someone makes a personal attack, that points out something about your personality that cannot be changed or points at your nose and says that it is too big. What can you do?
So this is the plan:
PRAYER
PRAYER
PRAYER
And then a bit of
PRAYER
The situation has been let go of, I can do nothing to change this woman and I know her long enough to know I cannot change our relationship. But I know a man who can!
When she and I join together in worship of the Lord then the relationship between her and me does not matter because the relationship between us and the Lord is paramount.
Once the focus is on Christ,
WE CAN GET THROUGH ANYTHING
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