Miracle Moment

Let’s face it, with all the different personalities and growth levels within the body of Christ we’re bound to eventually square off with someone. Clashes in the family are nothing new. God desires to see His children work through and resolve their issues though. It’s never in God’s character to feel hatred in your heart toward your sibling. If you have stuff like that going on inside, then you need to work through the list of conflict resolutions offered by the Lord. If you don’t then you are allowing room for the enemy of your soul to bring destruction by harboring bitterness and breaking the unity of the body.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.'” (Matthew 18:1-5)

First thing that will help us is to see how little children handle problems. They may scrap and scrape but they will typically shake hands and wind up being best friends at the end of the day. Kids usually see the best in people, understand that things happen, forgive quickly and move on. You hardly see a child hanging on to old wrongs. Life is just too cool and busy to be mean and full of resentment.

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (18:15-17)

This is the first layer in settling disputes – go to the person and try to talk. Wow! What a concept huh. Most of us do the last thing first, we go to everyone else first and then wonder why the person we have the problem with doesn’t want to talk. Duh. So let’s do it biblically and go to the person first. If we can’t resolve it then we are to bring another person or two with us to try to reason it out. If there’s no satisfaction with that then we bring it out to the church. And this isn’t for every little nitpicking, personal issue either. We have to have sense to weigh out whether it is something that needs to be judged or known by everyone.

Also, be careful not to get caught up and offended by things that don’t directly concern you. I’ve seen people want others to repent to them for something that didn’t even involve them. Just because you know some aspects of an issue doesn’t mean that you are the one deserving of an apology or justification. Mind your own business!

In Philippians 4:2, we see Paul asking a fellow believer to mediate between two ladies that were mighty women of God. They didn’t see eye to eye and had a falling out but Paul encouraged them to get on one accord. There just shouldn’t be lingering grief between mature Christians. We should be able to forgive and put it behind us, even if one person will not budge. You may have to be Jesus today until they figure it out.

The Apostle Paul had a grudge against Mark because he bailed on him, but he worked through his anger and disappointment and later encouraged Mark to minister. The emphasis on working through our struggles are redemptive, not punitive. Get out of your head that someone owes you something or they need to pay for their indiscretion. The end result in our hearts should be to see the relationship and persons involved restored. That’s the Jesus way!

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to love those who aggravate me, have done me wrong and/or are just different from me. Help me to see there is a place in the body for everyone. I pray to overcome any feelings of anger and disgust I have toward another brother. I will do everything within my power to restore the relationship, even to the point of just forgiving them and letting them go into Your hands. Heal my heart Jesus, I want to handle things like You would. It’s in Your name that I pray, amen.