Conflict Resolution

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I read an excellent article this week on conflict resolution. You can find it here.

Here's a brief summary:

Six Pratical tips for handling conflict.

Pray: apply the principle that prayer is essential to overcoming fear.
Before approaching someone else about a conflict, approach God and ask for wisdom and guidance.

Process: determine the type of intervention necessary.
Determine if this is a casual conversation or a formal meeting. Do you need a group meeting? Encourage people to share their feelings and make them feel that they are in a safe environment to do that. Stay objective through out the meeting - dont' take sides. Discuss a plan for how to "fix" the relationship.

Take action: approach the confrontation with a good attitude.
Epheisans 4:32 “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave [us]”

Colossians 3:12 “clothe [ourselves] with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”

Share your vision: discuss the hope of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Try to uncover the root cause of the problem. Try to come up with a resolution to the problem.

2 Corinthians 5:19 “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them”

1 Peter 5:5–6 “clothe [ourselves] with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ ”

Listen carefully: let all parties know they have been heard.
Listen, listen, listen. Let others talk. Don't feel the need to fill the silence. Let people share honestly then put together a plan for working together. Let people state what they need from each other and then ask for an agreement between them.

Ephesians 4:15 "Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly,dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”

Pray together: warn of the dangers of not forgiving.
Close the meeting with prayer. Try to get each participant to forgive the others. Get them to see that forgiveness is a choice not a feeling.

Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Mark 3:24–25 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If
a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand”

It takes courage to confront conflict. The Scripture has a lot to say about handling conflict. When conflict arrives, have a plan of action and trust God to help you through it.
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