Developing Darren

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I’m no expert when it comes to boxing, but from what I’ve seen, if you want to avoid taking hits you have 2 main options, you either step back and out of your opponents’ reach, or you come in close and give them a brotherly hug. No not really, but the first one is true and the second one is almost there… When you come in close it’s hard to be hit, because you’re so close that your opponent physically cannot generate enough force in such a short space to do significant damage.

I think the same is true with conflict resolution. You can either withdraw, run away, step back and out of reach… or you can go in, step in, and be near to the offended. The second option looks like humility, it looks like wanting to win the person and not the fight, it looks like ‘no matter how hard this is, I’m not leaving things like this’. It looks like ‘I don’t care if you keep swinging, I’m not trying to fight you’. It looks like ‘don’t let the sun go down on your anger’. It looks like ‘be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger’.

“Dear God, sometimes it’s so much easier to be cruel than kind. Lord, sometimes I want to leave conversations because they’re hurtful, but that doesn’t seem to help solve the problem. During disagreements I don’t always have enough patience, kindness, gentleness, and even love, to be good to the other person. Please remove my hostility and give me Your heart, let your Holy Spirit cultivate a spirit within me that is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

I pray for this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

So, the next time you have a disagreement and are hurt by someone, instead of withdrawing, take a step forward in faith and draw near to them. Pursue peace, and put self aside, so that you may repair your relationship and – in doing so – glorify God.

Kind regards,

Your Friend Darren