“The Joy of Conflict”
June 7, 2009
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1 Peter 4:12-19
God laid it on my heart a number of months ago to pray for each of you individually. I did that before, but I didn’t have a plan for my prayer so I prayed for you only as I thought of you. Now I bring up your picture on the computer and look at you as I pray for you. It helps my prayer to be more personal and not so superficial. Before I pray I ‘prime the pump’ so to speak, by reading a number of Scriptures having to do with prayer. It reminds me that my prayer is important and powerful. It motivates me to pray. I have that list and if you are interested – I will be glad to share it with you.
God led me to pray for you in a very specific way. I look at your smiling face and ask God to break your will. I ask Him to cleanse you of rebellion and selfishness and shape you into Christlikeness. When I first started to pray in that way, I was shocked and disappointed. It didn’t seem like God was answering my prayers. He seemed to be doing the exact opposite. Instead of the blessings I was praying for – it seem all of a sudden everyone was going through a lot of trials; a lot of conflict, a lot of testing. The more I prayed for you – the more it seemed you were getting hammered by the enemy.
I was a little disappointed. I got a little discouraged. But then I realized that God WAS answering my prayer and I learned:
1. Trails often come as a result of prayer.
I didn’t really realize what it would mean for you to become Christlike. I was looking at the end result. Can you imagine a church full of people who all had their wills surrendered to Jesus? Can you imagine the love and joy of a group of people who put others before themselves; who work at loving and giving and caring? What if all of us were kind and gentle and patient with each other? What if we were quick to forgive and forget each other errors? What if we were all full of love and joy and our meetings were full of laughter and fun and fellowship? What if we were generous and sacrificial to each other?
How would you like to belong to that kind of church family? I think that is God’s will for us. I think He is working in each of our lives to mold us and make us into those kinds of individuals. Listen to the Scripture:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:5-6
What I desire for our church family; what I desire for you individually is not normal or natural. By nature we are selfish and self-centered. By nature we are stingy and greedy. By nature we are self-absorbed and full of selfish desires. We want the spotlight. We want the glory. We want the blessing. James says,
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:1-3
We are a mess, aren’t we? When we come to the Lord, He loves us just the way we are. He accepts us with all our faults and failings. But He doesn’t want us to stay this way. So he allows trials and temptation and conflict in our lives for good reason. First, it shows us how ugly we are. It’s easy to be sweet and loving and happy when everything is going our way and people are treating us the way we think we deserve. Conflict reveals what is really deep down there in our heart. Jesus said,
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
What is in our heart – the mouth speaks (usually when we are angry). God allows conflict to reveal to us the ugliness that is deep down hidden away in our hearts. It may be conflict with our mate; conflict at work; or conflict at church. But that conflict brings our the ugliness in our souls.
Secondly, He allows conflict and trial and temptation to show us our weakness. We can’t control our tongue. It just comes out. We can’t control our actions – it is just expressed. We are slaves to sin. We are weak and powerless. God allows problems in our life to bring us to that realization. Paul had a problem. He said,
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Conflict reveals our ugliness inside; conflict reveals our weakness; and conflict 3) reveals our need for a power greater than ourselves. The need is fulfilled in God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Paul said,
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13
Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 1:8
Conflict comes to reveal our need for more of Jesus – more of the Holy Spirit. There IS power available. The IS strength of our every need. We don’t have to remain the stingy, selfish, weak, ugly hearted people we are. If we are willing – God can change us.
Trials and conflict come as a result of prayer for growth. But they also come, secondly, to make us stronger and better. God has a plan for you – and it’s beautiful. God sees you, not as you are – but as you will be. God sees, not your problems – but your potential. God sees, not your past – but your future.
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:4
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
God reveals the future you – and you are beautiful! As you surrender yourself to the Holy Spirit – He will mold you and shape you into Christlikeness. He will transform you into the very image of Jesus.
“And we…are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:18
What are you being transformed into? Kind. Gentle. Patient. Eager to do good. Generous. Loving. Joyful. Peacemaker. Self-disciplined. God reveals what you are to become – and you are AWESOME! You are beautiful. You are fantastic.
Let me warn you, if you surrender yourself to Jesus, He will not stop – no matter how painful, no matter how traumatic, no matter how much you cry - He will not stop shaping you into His image. He will allow and use just about any kind of painful trial and sever temptation and hurtful conflict to accomplish His purpose of making you Christlike. But the end result will be worth it. You will be the crowning accomplishment of His creativity.
Are you willing to allow God to have His way with you? Are you willing to see those conflicts and trials a little differently? God will only do this with your permission and your cooperation. When conflict and trials come – see them as a gift from God. Figure out what God is trying to accomplish. And surrender to the Masters hand. His goal is to make you even more beautiful than you are!
