Await and Arise: Conflict and Response

We hear the verse over and over again, but does it really sink in.  We are shocked when conflict happens, hardships come upon us and loss grieves us.  But we have been warned.  "In this world you will have trouble", Jesus tells us. "But take heart, I have overcome the world". John 16:33

This mediation is on when conflict arises.  When personal attacks happen, what is our response?  My prayer for you is that your response is as Psalm 45:2 says "grace pours from your mouth."  

If I am being honest, this is not my default.  But the more I study, the more I seek after Christ and how He would have me grow and respond the more grace can become my go to response and yours too.  

I hope you will jump into your Bible and spend this time in scripture meditation in His presence and let him fill your heart and mouth with grace!  So that the words that come off of your response in the tensest of situations, even, are grace filled and glorifying to God. 

If you like what you're listening to check out Ang on her website: https://angelaraber.com/

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If you want to know more about Community Bible Study check out their website here: 

https://www.communitybiblestudy.org/

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Transcript

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Welcome to another episode of Await and a Rise. Join me as we dive into Scripture and just pause in awe of our good God. And as we give our souls just a moment of rest and refresh. Welcome back. I wonder if you've ever been in conflict and you've felt it this way, like the clammy hands and the nerves that are going wild in your belly, and the racing heart, and um thoughts that are getting all muddled up in your mind, and you can't make a true sentence, or nothing comes out clear or the way that you think it should come out. Your thoughts are racing, and then later after the conflict, you have those, oh, why did I say that? Or why didn't I say that? You know. Um, and you mull over the conversation again and again and again in your mind and worry about it. Um you definitely think that all of us have been in those situations. I think that the written ones can be even worse because we go back over and we reread the messages, and I don't know, we're searching for resolution or validation, maybe some affirmation. Oh yeah, that sounded good. Oh yeah, I did that right. Um, oh man, why did I say that, right? And so conflict can bring about all sorts of emotions and it can rare up in a at a time that um makes us rash. And um, sometimes our words come out harsher than they should. Sometimes we get froze up and no words come out at all. And um, conflict is never fun. Not many people enjoy conflict. But Psalms talks about conflict a lot, and this week when we're studying for community Bible study, we're studying in chapter 62, and um in 62 we see David is in conflict, and he's um coming up against uh the wealthy in this situation, and he's recognizing that his security is not found in those people. And so even in this moment where this conflict is happening, maybe um maybe he had been placing his trust in some people that he shouldn't have been, and now it's falling apart. But we know that instead of saying, um, wow, everything is lost because I lost this, he's saying, Nope, I'm gonna trust after God. But God knows God is the one that's in control, God is the one that has the power. And um and he recognizes that it doesn't matter whether they're lowborn or they're born into wealth, um, that his security isn't found in them, that instead the power all belongs to God. And that's chapter 62, verse 9, that actually to God, when compared and put on a scale, they weigh nothing. And that's the truth. In any conflict, the parties involved, God cares about all of the hearts. And when it comes to how he would handle it and how we would handle it, our handling weighs nothing compared to God's. And we have to continue to give God the power. In verse 11, it goes on and it says, and to the Lord belongs, steadfast love. For you will render to man according to his work, in verse 12. So only God can see the full picture. Only God knows the heart behind the conflict, both the hearts, all the hearts involved. Only God can bring about vindication, resolution, and justice. And only God can bring about peace in your heart and in the situation. In Psalm 64, the wicked are brought low by God's arrows. We see that the wicked think that they can get away with anything, that God doesn't really see them or hear them. And um when they're speaking dishonestly, they're speaking inaccurately about David, and um and it says that it's not his words that he relied on. He went to God, and it was God's arrow that wounds the wicked and then causes them to stumble over their own words. And isn't that powerful to think about that it's not my words that will cause someone else to look at their own words and stumble over them or to reflect on them and go, hmm, I shouldn't have said that. It is God's conviction in their heart. It is God's arrow that says, hey, that maybe shouldn't have been said, and brings them back to that point of reflection to stumble over their own harsh and wicked words. And so it is that we need to keep that focus on God. So when we're in that situation, when conflict arises, that we wouldn't worry over what we say or what we should say or we should have said or we could have said, but instead to trust that God will handle the situation correctly and that he'll give us the right words if we lean into him and we um trust him to give us the words and or to give us no words and to keep us silent in a situation when we're supposed to be silent. It's hard not to respond quickly in situations when conflict arises. Um I think for me that's one of the hardest things because I'm quick with my tongue and I can be rather harsh with my tongue. And so to give it to God and to freeze my tongue for a minute and to say, Lord, what would you have me do in this moment? And even if I possibly can uh seek godly counsel before I speak is huge, right? And so I just want to encourage you today that if you find yourself in conflict or when you find yourself in conflict, because we live in a world where we're going to find ourselves in conflict, that you would give it to God, that you would just trust Him to give you the words or to give you the silence, and so that you can walk away from the situation with the potential for resolution, with the um and with peace. Peace, even if it's only in your own heart for a while, peace, knowing that you don't have to worry about those situations, that you handled it the way that God had you handle it, put it on your heart to handle, and you focused on him and you trusted him to um to carry that for you. Because that's what God will do. God wants to handle your battles, he wants you to lean into him. So I hope that you will. So I hope that this blesses you. And now let's soak in some scripture. Proverbs 15 1. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Matthew 18, 15 through 17. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you'll gain your brother, but if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. James 4, 1 through 2. What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. Ephesians 4 26. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Matthew 5 9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 1 Corinthians 13 4 through 7. Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. James 1 19 Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Colossians three thirteen Bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, you also must forgive Matthew eighteen fifteen. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him a spaul between you and him alone. If he listens, you have gained your brother. Matthew five thirty eight through thirty nine. You have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil, but if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him also the other. Romans twelve eighteen. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Matthew five twenty four. Leave your gift therefore before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Luke seventeen three. Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. Matthew eighteen sixteen But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. Ephesians four thirty-one. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Romans twelve, seventeen through twenty-one. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head, and not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil good. Proverbs fifteen eighteen A hot tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Proverbs sixteen twenty-eight A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. James one nineteen through twenty Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of a man does not produce the righteousness of God. Matthew five, twenty-three to twenty four. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Philippians 2 4. Let each of you look not only at his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Proverbs 16 7. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Now go. And arise in his presence. Have a blessed day. Thanks for joining me today. If your soul was refreshed by this pause in the word, then I hope that you'll continue to join me weekly for these await and arise meditations. My hope is that this podcast space will be a reprieve for you to just take a pause away from the world, to be refreshed in the word, and to await in the presence of a good God. Would you go to the comment section and leave a word or a scripture that's lifted you up this week? I really do love to see how God is working in all of our lives. And my desire is to see that this space just grows as a community of people who come together and encourage each other in the Word. I want to see Him working in all of us. It's just such a sweet reminder that we are all in this together. And God, He goes before us. So until next time, I'm praying your heart to be anchored in His truth. A Wake and a Rise podcasts are available on all podcast players. If you would like to see me as I teach weekly live, click on my YouTube channel or go to my webpage, AngelaRiver.com, and you can find those episodes there. Meditations come out each week on Thursday, and live teachings are weekly on Monday, and I post those on Tuesday. We hope that you'll subscribe and feel free to share this episode with family and friends and on social media for more information for connecting with a community five of study in your area. You can also connect a little bit.