How conflict offers opportunities for growth

Christians are meant to be people of peace, right? We follow the Prince of Peace; he calls us to be peacemakers; the fruit of the Holy Spirit includes love, joy and peace. And yet, we still seem to experience conflict in our churches and families. Our kids fight, we have arguments with our teens, and conflict plagues our marriages too. Sure, the neighbours may not hear us, but we know that our homes aren’t always places of peace.

We tend to default to the way that conflict was managed in the families we grew up in. Were difficult issues avoided and swept under the rug? Did one person always get their way? Were voices often raised? These patterns can shape our own response to conflict.

In this episode of Timeless Parenting our guest Jane Gibb, an experienced life and conflict coach, helps us to consider a Christian approach to conflict, especially within marriages and families. In particular, we talk about the opportunities that conflict offers—it can be a catalyst for personal growth and stronger, deeper relationships. We cover questions like:

• What is conflict?
• Is it normal for Christians to experience conflict?
• What are the different ways people naturally respond to conflict and why?
• Where do we experience conflict in our families?
• What steps can we take to work through personal conflict in a healthy way?
• What are some principles for managing conflict in our marriages?
• How can we teach our children to manage conflict well?

This is a very insightful, practical and wide-ranging conversation—you might even want to take notes!

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You can also find our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Mothers Union Sydney runs an annual seminar about Christian life and parenting. Listen to talks from previous seminars on Soundcloud.

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If you want to get in touch with us to offer some feedback or suggest a topic, you can write to us at: timelessparenting@youthworks.net

Timeless Parenting is brought to you by Growing Faith, a ministry of Youthworks Media, and Mothers Union Sydney.

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