Where's This Going?

So, why a blog about conflict? Believers don't have conflict, do they? And if they do, are they not equipped better than anyone else on how to resolve it? I mean, we have the power of confession, forgiveness and absolution at our disposal, not to mention the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. He is our Helper, who gives us clarity to see our way to understanding those we may be in conflict with, if indeed, believers ever have conflict.


So, cheekiness aside, why a blog about conflict?

Well, here is a bit of back story to build on my first post.

I was raised in an unbelieving home, a broken home, and an abusive one. In hindsight, I see that this contributed to my complete and total fear of conflict, to the point that I avoided it at all costs. I was a peacefaker, and "went along to get along". Needless to say, there were not too many choices that were mine because when you go along to get along you loose integrity.

Oddly enough, I fell into a career that was rife with conflict. Through trial and error I picked up skills on how to communicate with angry, heightened people, and after I became a believer, I began a study in the scriptures on how Jesus handled conflict (a study I began 3 years ago and still have not completed!).

A realization dawned on me that conflict is inevitable in a fallen world; moreover, conflict is not a sin. How we deal with one another when we are in conflict can be sinful, however, conflict in and of itself can actually be an opportunity for true growth and transformation. For one who feared and avoided it at all costs, it still seems ironic to me that I now want to make dealing with conflict in a biblical manner my new ministry. It is comforting to know that God must know what He is doing!

So, that's where this is going. Having just graduated with my mediation certification, I continue to study scripture and learn from wonderful mentors and teachers. I envision the day that I move into mediation, reconciliation, conciliation, and peacemaking work within the Body, full time. There is also the hope to teach biblical conflict resolution and "one anothering" in the church.

When I was finishing up my mediation certification, a class mate asked me what kind of mediation I wanted to do. At the time, I did not have a definition for it; I only knew that the kind of mediation I wanted to do had to be more than just providing a safe, respectful way to remain in conflict, or to divide, or separate; rather, it had to be the kind of work that gives people skills to work through their differences so that they come and stay together, something I now call restorative, transformative mediation that leads to reconciliation and life! Maybe a new thing in our day and age, particularly in our adversarial, competitive "win" culture, but certainly not a new thing to God!