A lot of what we do where I work is help people deal with conflict. Most often these folks are or have been working together. Sometimes they are in daily contact. Other times they are simply partners in a short term project. On occasions they are volunteers working on a cause. And sometime, they’re just friends or family members.
Wherever people are together, you have a breeding ground for conflict. And much of it is healthy. Conflict helps us set boundaries in relationships. It tells us when something isn’t working.
I’m blessed. My regular, day-to-day relationships are filled with people who are skilled in dealing with conflict. It doesn’t stop conflict from happening. But, most of the time, the conflict comes and goes as a natural part of living. We bristle a little, we steam a bit, we laugh a lot, and we learn. We’re a team.
Yet, a good part of my idle thought turns toward people who choose not to be team players. They use conflict as a battle ground or they choose to ignore it. These are the individuals who push into my prayer life. I see their faces when I fight feelings of anger and hopelessness.
I have to remember that despite my personal struggle, we’re all members of the team. And they really must act that way. Or, more correctly, I really must act that way.