How to Resolve Family Conflicts Using Your Bible

Dealing with conflict resolution with family and friends is sometimes very hard to do. Why is it so hard to admit our short comings to those closest to us? Why is it so hard to open up to those that mean the most to us? God gives us that instruction. He would like our relationships to be fruitful and for us to learn to love each other without boundaries.

1. Step 1

   In Galations 6:2, the Apostle Paul states, "Bear you one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ", revealing your burdens to one another is probably the hardest step. Most people do not like revealing their burdens and their needs to the people that love them the most. To make things harder for us, most people are not sensitive to the needs of others, they do not truly listen to what others are conveying. We must make an effort to state our needs to our family and friends and be sensitive to theirs. This, I think, is the first step to love is filling the needs of others.

2. Step 2

   Dealing with your family and friends frankly and face-to-face, in the right spirit. Holding bitterness in and trying to "smooth" things over often invites problems later on. It is not good to hold things in and harbor bitterness. When the Apostle Paul had problems with Peter in Galatians 2:11-14 which states "He withstood him to the face" also, Jesus said that a person who has been wronged should go to the one who offended him and discuss the matter directly in Matthew 18:15-17. These words of wisdom can go along way when dealing with your loved ones.

3. Step 3

   In James 1:19, the bible says "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" , these words of advice was given to us to help us deal with those who bring their grievances to us. To often we are defensive, or have excuses for the way we treat one another. But, dealing with your loved ones using this advice is a sure fire way to resolve your differences in a more constructive manner.

4. Step 4

   in James 5:16, James wrote "Confess your faults to one another". Sometimes going to those closest to you and just saying you are sorry and that you were wrong helps a whole lot. Sometimes there are situations where your friends and family don't know they have been wronged and this is where your true character shines through. Being able to go to your children and your spouse and saying, "I want to tell you I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your, I was wrong", goes so far to showing someone the love and the respect that they deserve and often helps build their respect towards you.

Note: It might work if one must accept the other.