GodReflection: Conflict Zone.
I entered life ready to express disenchantment of all things in conflict with my comfort. My life started with a loud cry. I was a big nine-pound baby boy. It didn’t take long to discover a big dislike that caused me to use one of my first elementary words. I could now declare a loud, animated, vibrant, “No!”
Yes, early in life I discovered the Conflict Zone. Each time I encounter an absence or something I can’t control I’ve entered the zone of conflict. When unmerited acts of harm come my way and when I engage in an inner skirmish that interferes with my peace, I’m in the middle of the Conflict Zone.
With age I discover it was my ancestors Adam and Eve who created and passed down to each generation the gene of conflict and disharmony. It is that theme that underlines this series of posts. Conflict Zone—Life is Conflict.
Certainly, there is the obvious. We don’t agree with others about our politics. We can’t agree on sports teams. We have disagreement on schools and education. We never agree on health care. And we don’t agree on art and entertainment. Wow! Life is filled with Conflict Zones.
Now let’s talk about family. Families shatter and split from every angle. Husbands and wives don’t always get along. Some dads and moms never get along; they can’t even stand the sight of each other, let alone live together. Parents and children don’t always agree with the family rules. Siblings don’t always live conflict free. The branches of our family trees can look rather weathered and shabby.
However, this series of posts will not treat directly the conflicts I’ve just listed. Although, we do have a resource to help us deal with the above through the life and teaching of Jesus. He teaches us how to manage the conflict zone that comes with our earth walk. There is even better news. When Jesus returns to restore this earth to a state of sinless perfection as it was created conflict will be no more.
Instead of a conflict zone that I face with others, what I propose to do throughout the next few posts is to reflect upon the inner conflicts I encounter while Walking His Trail as Steve and Ginny Saint express in their book title.
I want to look at what I see as the reality of my lack of ability to obey Jesus with perfection. Jesus says, but I don’t always do. I believe Paul calls that grace. When I read about the Apostles Paul’s life and observer all he does for Jesus I easily see how far short I fall from even Paul’s example—let alone that of the life and teaching of Jesus. He does but I don’t.
What I do have in common with the Apostle Paul is this. There are times I want to do but I don’t and times I don’t want to do but I do. It is the nature of my earth-walk to face a conflict zone. See (Romans 7).
Along the way, I hope to remove some of the unnecessary guilt we place on our shoulders. Jesus invites us to transfer our load of guilt to him our Savior. And when we do, we can begin to anticipate His return to restore our home planet earth. How I anticipate an eternal future in a conflict free zone as per God’s original design.
I invite you to come with me and read over my shoulder as together we challenge each other to continue our walk toward Jesus amid our own Conflict Zone. Even though we each can declare With My First Breath I Began To Learn That Life Is Conflict.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection: With My First Breath I Began To Learn That Life Is Conflict.
God Reflection 