Each of us is a leader in some form or another wherever we are. Generally, leadership involves overseeing and guiding somethings or people. That said, to an extend you are the leader in charge of you. However, whether you are in charge of yourself, others or things, you may face conflict. My encouragement to you this is that Conflict is part of Leadership. We should face conflict head on because we have the advocacy and the support of the Holy Spirit. Contrary as it may sound, if managed well and approached with a positive attitude, conflict has major benefits. Let’ s review some of them:
- SELF AWARENESS- The first intervention to addressing any conflict is self -reflection to identity our roles in causing the conflict. The Holy Spirit who is our advocate and surgeon if inquired upon will search the intents of our hearts and mind and show us how we contributed to the conflict. This means then that conflict must be approached objectively and with awareness that we could be the problem. Love is what triggers this self-awareness or reflection. By doing this, we die to self and focus on the impact of our actions to others. This self-awareness makes us accountable to God, ourselves and to the parties involved. With the help of the Holy Spirit, self-awareness leads to repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation.
- MATURITY- Through conflict we are matured in the spirit as well as in the natural. If conflict is directly linked to fellow human being, conflict creates the opportunity for character development. Personally whenever faced with interpersonal conflict, I have learned to first ask the Holy Spirit, “what character area do you want to transform in me and would you show me how to go about it?” In addition to the pruning that conflict brings, conflict also toughens us up. Whether internal or external, whether conflicts present through afflictions, trials or adversities when it is all said and done, we are matured. The scriptures in 1 Peter 5:10 become alive. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
- VICTORY- Conflict brings with it victory! Most importantly, we have preexisting guaranteed victory through Christ our salvation and by the hand of God that is always with us. As believers, we should always approach conflict or adversity from a position of victory. See 1Corinthians 15:57-But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Also see Christ’s victorious triumph in Colossians 1:16-17; For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
- GAIN NEW TERRITORY, PROMOTION OR PERSPECTIVE- Have you considered the accounts of Abraham. Isaac, Joseph, David, Joshua, Esther, Deborah and even Daniel? All of them acquired new territories, promotion or perspective through conflict. Consider Abraham’s inner conflict with faith, Joseph, Esther and Daniel the conflict of false accusation, to Joshua, David and Deborah the conflicts of war. All resulted in gaining new territory, promotion and even perspectives in life. So next time you experience conflict, embrace the conflict and seek God’s counsel and assistance in anticipation of gaining something new, a promotion or learning from the conflict.
Conflict should not be avoided or ignored; God is our defense. He will also avenge us. Through conflict we are matured from one stage of leadership to the next. In it, we learn to war; Judges 3:2. Through conflict we learn new things about ourselves, we learn from others and from the issues and how best to address similar issues in the future. Conflict then becomes our process improvement (PI). Boldly face, confront and address conflict because inherently both in the natural and in the spiritual, we have the guaranteed promise to victoriously win in Christ Jesus. Moses, David, Joshua, Daniel, Deborah and Esther are key examples of leaders who led successfully through series of conflict.
Author: Pauline Adongo.
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