Finding Peace within Conflict

Thomas 'a Kempis advised in his book, Imitations of Christ, that if you are to "keep peace within yourself, then first bring peace to others." Generating peace is challenging when conflict seems endless. What drives conflict are anxiety, fear, anger and bitterness, which suggests that conflict with others derives from unresolved personal issues.

Emotional turmoil is felt when personal objectives are obstructed, and failure is blamed on others. It takes courage to face oneself. Thomas 'a Kempis gives us another reality check when seeking to resolve interpersonal conflicts. "Be not angry if you cannot make others be as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself be as you wish to be."



The Apostle Paul's solution is, "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  As you give the Lord Jesus Christ permission to renew your mind, an inner peace that passes all understanding will be given to you. 

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation