The mark of community--true biblical unity--is not the absence of conflict but the presence of a reconciling spirit. -- Bill Hybels
Acts 19:32 reads -- "Some therefore cried out one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.". While this verse is referring to the rioting in Ephesus, I think it contains a grain of truth about many of our assemblies today. We gather together in various settings with other believers, yet somehow, we manage to forget why we came together in the first place. Many come together with their own agendas or their own personal desires and whether consciously or unconsciously they want their agenda to be the only agenda.
In other cases, we come together and it seems we are just confused. We easily misunderstand one another. It's amazing that even though we typically gather with people who speak the same language as us, we often don't understand what the other person is really saying. Misunderstanding is a relationship killer. As Christians, we are called to be above that. We are not called to know everything and understand everything perfectly, but we are called to have a spirit of reconciliation. God has given us clear instructions in how to resolve conflicts in our lives. He's also willingly volunteered to be the bridge, the only bridge, that can truly unite two people for we'll never really understand one another.
God has also, in his infinite wisdom, given us the prescription to prevent most misunderstandings and it's found in James 1:19 -- So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath...
If you have something against your brother or know that he has got something against you, ask God to give you a spirit of reconciliation and take the steps necessary to restore a right relationship with them.
Father, I plead in the Name of Jesus Christ that You will grant strong relationships between the person reading this and others. Deliver him/her from any misunderstandings. Enable them to speak the truth in love. Grant compassion and a servant spirit to them (Eph 4:15, Matt 20:28).
Copyright © 2005 Greg Holl. All rights reserved.
Acts 19:32 reads -- "Some therefore cried out one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.". While this verse is referring to the rioting in Ephesus, I think it contains a grain of truth about many of our assemblies today. We gather together in various settings with other believers, yet somehow, we manage to forget why we came together in the first place. Many come together with their own agendas or their own personal desires and whether consciously or unconsciously they want their agenda to be the only agenda.
In other cases, we come together and it seems we are just confused. We easily misunderstand one another. It's amazing that even though we typically gather with people who speak the same language as us, we often don't understand what the other person is really saying. Misunderstanding is a relationship killer. As Christians, we are called to be above that. We are not called to know everything and understand everything perfectly, but we are called to have a spirit of reconciliation. God has given us clear instructions in how to resolve conflicts in our lives. He's also willingly volunteered to be the bridge, the only bridge, that can truly unite two people for we'll never really understand one another.
God has also, in his infinite wisdom, given us the prescription to prevent most misunderstandings and it's found in James 1:19 -- So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath...
If you have something against your brother or know that he has got something against you, ask God to give you a spirit of reconciliation and take the steps necessary to restore a right relationship with them.
Father, I plead in the Name of Jesus Christ that You will grant strong relationships between the person reading this and others. Deliver him/her from any misunderstandings. Enable them to speak the truth in love. Grant compassion and a servant spirit to them (Eph 4:15, Matt 20:28).
Copyright © 2005 Greg Holl. All rights reserved.
