The Spiritual Side of Conflict

Whether or not you are a spiritual person or not, you can benefit from my help, but I will not hide the fact that everything I do when it comes to conflict is rooted in my faith in Christ and in the lesson’s I have learned from the bible and my Heavenly Father about His heart for conflict and why He cares so much about it.

So let’s jump in, when it comes to conflict, there are usually several “root” issues when it comes to the way we view ourselves.

We either have to deal with these root issues or we will continue to have the same theme and outcomes to our conversations over and over again. 

Before we get into the different root issues we can identify in ourselves, lets look at the most important root in our lives, our spiritual roots by looking at a couple of scripture passages about conflict. 

Matthew 5:21 - 26

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister ‘Raca’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny”

Okay, so let’s unpack this passage:

Vs. 21 - 22

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister ‘Raca’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Jesus knows the power conflict can have on a person, so here He is comparing it to murder. 

Which at first glance may seem extreme, but let's really stop and think about it.

 How many relationships have been either completely broken or very much damaged because of conflict? Can you think of one if not multiple? 

Conflict has the power of death, much like murder, if we aren’t willing to do the work and put in the effort to do conflict well. 

We have to take ownership of the power that our conversations contain, and how we are called to handle them.

In the coming weeks and months, I will share the tools and resources I have created that have made all the difference in my relationships and those around me. 

Let’s begin a journey together of cultivating conversations that are healthy, lifegiving, and leave us and others better.