Responding to Conflict

Proverbs 15:18

When conflict occurs, what should our response be? Turning to the Lord in prayer is always the best way to respond in a crisis. By doing so, we can ask Him to provide …

• Spiritual discernment. God knows and perfectly understands the source of the problem—and He can enable us to comprehend it, too. With the Spirit’s assistance, we will gain insight into the situation.
• A quiet spirit. Our human nature will want to react quickly so we can defend ourselves or stand up for what we think is right. But before we act, it’s important to deliberately focus our attention on God and experience the inner peace that He promises (John 14:27).
• Wisdom. The Lord told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would give them wise words to say (Luke 12:11-12). And He’ll do that for us as well. If we are tempted to speak hastily, we should ask the Spirit for guidance and the words to speak (Ps. 141:3).

God has called us to represent Him in every situation the same way Christ did—by depending on the heavenly Father. Next time someone speaks critically to you, focus your heart on God and let Him direct your response.

Bible in One Year: Daniel 7-9