Handling Conflict with Grace: An Invitation to Listen, Love, and Trust

How do you handle conflict ?

Oh, conflict. I don’t think any of us wake up in the morning hoping for it, but somehow, it finds its way into our lives—sometimes in big ways, sometimes in quiet, unexpected moments.

For a long time, I handled conflict by either avoiding it completely or jumping in too quickly, trying to fix, prove, or defend. But neither of those ever really led to peace. What I’ve learned (and am still learning) is that conflict isn’t always something to fear. It’s often an invitation—an invitation to listen better, to love deeper, and to trust that the Lord can work even in the messy, hard moments.

Today’s scriptures reminded me of that. In Proverbs 15:1, I read, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” And it made me think—what if handling conflict isn’t about winning or avoiding but about softening? What if it’s about slowing down, choosing kindness, and letting the Spirit lead?

So next time conflict shows up, I want to remember this: I don’t have to have the perfect words, but I can choose gentle ones. I don’t have to have all the answers, but I can choose to listen. I don’t have to force resolution, but I can trust that God is always working toward peace.

Maybe handling conflict isn’t really about handling it at all. Maybe it’s about letting the Lord handle my heart in the middle of it.