![]() Is there anything too hard for me” (Jeremiah chapter 32, verse 27). When people reveal their hopelessness to me, I often share with them these same words that God said to the prophet Jeremiah, to convince them that no conflict is impossible for God to solve: “I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Others will say, “We’ve tried everything else and it hasn’t worked? Why should we try mediation ?”. “What’s the use ? We’ve been fighting each other for so long, that there is no hope” is what I have had people say to me. Sometimes, people refuse to discuss their differences with each other or to seek the help of a mediator because they see no hope in doing this. No Conflict Is Impossible For God To Resolve When I am preparing individuals for mediation sessions or speaking to a group about conflict, I like to share this story or some of the others like it in the Bible to let them know that God is the peacemaker, and he desires to help them settle their differences just as he did Isaac and so many other people in scriptures. For this reason, he named the new well Rehoboth, testifying about what God had done for him, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land” (Genesis chapter 26, verse 22). Isaac knew that only God could have brought peace. When his men dug another well, the herdsmen mysteriously chose not to fight them over it. Because these men fought him over these wells relentlessly, resolution of this problem appeared hopeless to him. Every time Isaac’s men dug a well, the Philistine herdsmen would claim that the water it produced was theirs. He and the herdsmen had a bitter struggle over some wells Isaac’s servants dug for him. ![]() ![]() This and other scriptures proclaim how God is actively involved in the affairs of men, and there are at least eleven different examples in the Bible of God intervening to help men resolve their differences with each other.Ī good example of God’s intervention is at Genesis chapter 26, verses 12 to 31, where God helped Abraham’s son Isaac resolve his dispute with some Philistine herdsmen. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth: He breaks the bows and cuts the spear in two. In a number of passages, God is revealed as the one who brings peace.Ĭome behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. Some of the insight I gained and how I use it in mediation and teaching is what follows in this article. The Book of Proverbs is filled with a wealth of insight on the causes of conflict, dealing with anger, and ending our disagreements with each other.Ībout ten years ago, when I started to see how the Bible had all this practical knowledge on the subject of conflict, I felt compelled to incorporate what I learned into the mediation assistance I provide and the teachings I give on conflict resolution. There is also much wisdom to be gleaned from the Bible on managing conflict. Numerous examples of conflict are woven into the many stories of people’s lives outlined in the scriptures. When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will notice that there is much writing on the subject of conflict.
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