Seek Peace!

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

People can open doors to happiness and great ideas if they are willing to seek peace even when the situation does not appear pleasant. Only when we find peace, can we truly live our lives and live life to its fullest potential. However, the world is full of opportunities for us to make our own choices.

In resolving conflicts, it’s essential to fix the problem’s gaze rather than the person involved. Everyone likes to protect his/her interest during conflicts; trying to demean the other person can spell more significant trouble that may not be manageable. Problems might be difficult to solve if all you are seeing is the blame. You must choose between the two.

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

How you say things is as important as what you say. If you say things offensively, it will be received defensively. Proverbs 16:21 says, “The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.” Nagging never works; you cannot convince the other person if you’re abrasive with your words. When you nag, your word becomes crumb marks on the ground.

Believers should be more concerned with protecting each other’s personalities when it comes to conflict resolution. For the sake of fellowship, you must destroy your arsenals of harsh words like condemning, belittling, comparing, labeling, insulting, and several other character attacks. Avoiding all these will make the person know that you have come with a hand of love, not attack. Consider the admonition of Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:29 that says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Prayer:
1. Lord, let your peace flow through me as I walk with you.
2. Help me to be a peacemaker in the church and to the community in Jesus’ name. Amen