OK, peace makers ministries has started to meddle in my life, I - TopicsExpress



          

OK, peace makers ministries has started to meddle in my life, I have this as a coping mechanism, one that does not work and by Gods grace, I am learning to overcome. So when I post this, it is from a tender heart I do so. The Fear Diet There is no fear in love... perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:18 Denial. One way to escape from a conflict is to pretend that it does not exist. Or, if we cannot deny that the problem exists, we simply refuse to do what should be done to resolve a conflict properly. These responses bring only temporary relief and usually make matters worse (see Gen. 16:1-6; I Sam. 2:22-25). Flight. Another way to escape from a conflict is to run away. This may include leaving the house, ending a friendship, quitting a job, filing for divorce, or changing churches. In most cases, running away only postpones a proper solution to a problem (see Gen. 16:6-8), so flight is usually a harmful way to deal with conflict. Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 23. Food for Thought Have you ever thought about fear as an indulgence that we as Christians cant afford? We often think of rich desserts as indulgences, and they certainly can be. But fear is an indulgence, too--one that Christians engage in at least as much (if not far more) than Krispy Kreme donuts. We indulge in fear each time we deny a conflict that exists with a friend--even though we know there is a cancer-like silence between us that Satan is probably filling with his lies. We can indulge in fear when we tell ourselves, Ive had enough. Im done with this. While walking away looks like some kind of primitive strength, its often a fear feast that results in us putting on weight (in the form of concern and anxious thoughts). When fear keeps us from addressing conflict in our lives, it hinders our intimacy with Christ. Wed rather indulge in fear than delight in the love of Christ; yet, if wed just delight in Perfect Love, scripture says that fear would flee. Leaving fear behind is a bit like dieting. Standing at the freezer with our hand on the door and the ice cream on the other side, sometimes we just have to say aloud, No. Standing in a conflict feeling sorely tempted to indulge in denial and flight (both grounded in fear), we must call to mind the lavish love of Christ, drop our hands to our side, and remind ourselves that fear is one indulgence we simply cannot afford.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 23:36:13 +0000

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