A Prayer When it Feels Like You're Always in Conflict
By Amanda Idleman
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Phillippians 4:7
Conflict steals our peace. It’s impossible to feel at ease in your environment when tension is thick in the air. We need resolution, reconciliation, justice, and redemption in order to find contentment. Some things we don’t have the power to change. We can’t make a loved one change their behavior, we can’t undo certain broken systems on our own, we can’t force our child to forgive us, and the list goes on. We live in a broken world, which means some tensions never dissipate.
Other seasons seem to be filled with bitter disagreement. My husband and I went through some very tough and long years in which the majority of our interactions led to anger, confusion, disappointment, and hurt feelings. The pain, sadness, shame, and helplessness we each individually felt through those years when it came to our relationship nearly broke us. God’s promise that he is the great healer gave us the hope we needed to keep coming back to each other even though we felt overwhelmed by our needs.
It’s likely that all of us will face moments where conflict seems to consume us, but the good news is that when we are stuck in a place of brokenness, we have a helper who is the Holy Spirit, and we can call on him (John 14:26)! He is a powerful advocate who offers comfort in every circumstance. We may not be able to change our circumstances, but he can. He can give us new eyes that help us find peace, wisdom that helps us determine what healthy boundaries we need to put in place to guard our hearts, and he can help bring broken things back to life!
After struggling for several years in our marriage, the only thing that changed, which led to healing, was a desperate cry of surrender to the Holy Spirit. We needed his eyes, his wisdom, peace, healing power, and guidance to help us find freedom from the cycle of brokenness that was destroying our family. The astounding thing is that he was faithful to answer our prayers. The change we needed didn’t happen overnight. It included the help of amazing counselors, deep efforts to change our habits, to see each other differently, and supernatural forgiveness to restore our love for each other. We had to partner with God’s process to find healing, and graciously, through that holy partnership, we experienced a miracle.
This is what we need when we are stuck… a miracle! May you find the strength to go to the Lord once again and seek his will for your life. Let him do what only he can do. By his grace we are set free (Galatians 5:1). May his peace that transcends our ability to comprehend be upon your home, your work, your future, your relationships, and your life. Would he do abundantly above and beyond all you could ask, think, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Let’s pray:
Father, we come to you feeling desperate, hopeless, and alone. We need your wisdom in order to find a way back to your peace in a situation that seems to be an endless well of conflict. Show us your ways, teach us your path, and guide us in your truth. I thank you that you are a God that knows our hearts. You are a God who values justice and truth. You also are full of patience and grace. May your Spirit, who searches our hearts, intervene on my behalf. Let hidden things come to light. Let humility and service bring repentance where needed. May your wisdom show me what healthy boundaries look like in this situation. Would your healing touch soften and change my heart? Give me the strength to step back and trust you, especially when I have no control over the outcome of this situation. Do what only you can do, Jesus! I love you. Amen.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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