Conflict

Posted May 07 by Jeff Terrell

I have a friend who hates conflict. He denies that he hates it, but he does. In every area of life he works to minimize interactions which could lead to conflict, and he’s good at avoiding it.

However. Please note that I didn’t say he couldn’t handle conflict. Far from it. I’ve been with him in situations where he confronted very difficult and challenging situations with a sense of tranquility and confidence that were amazing.

For me, far too often I’m ready to tackle conflict head on. I don’t want to back down and I certainly don’t see myself as conflict avoidant.

It seems to me that Jesus taught us some things about handling conflict. Turn the other cheek. If someone asks a mile, give him two. The meek will inherit the earth. A father joyously welcoming and restoring a rebellious child. He clearly avoided initiating conflict whenever he could.

Yet people who mistook Jesus’ gentleness for weakness were sorely mistaken. When dealing with injustice Jesus confronted others without hesitation. He cleansed the Temple by destroying the wares of those cheating others. He confronted the power-hungry, calling them snakes and whitewashed graves. And ultimately, Jesus demonstrated his power best through the ultimate demonstration of submission.

Lord, help me to have your mind.

About the author, Jeff Terrell

Jeff Terrell is President and Professor of Counseling Psychology. He is a licensed psychologist and a board certified licensed professional counselor. His Ph.D. and M.S. in Counseling Psychology are from the University of Southern Mississippi. In addition, he holds the M.Div. in Biblical Languages from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the B.A. from Samford University. His professional interest include: personality disorders, adult psychodynamic counseling and theory, and marital therapy. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including APA, Divs 2 and 36 of the APA, GPA, and CAPS.