How do you respond in the face of those who grow in resentment of you?

Ann Voskamp asks a good question today:

How in the world do you grow in grace in the face of those who grow in resentment toward you?

And it doesn’t make one iota of difference if you’re living in the middle of global war zones or some battle zone in your own church, community, kid or marriage — or if you’re fighting a battle inside yourself — you can either ruminate like a beast over the injustice of it all, till you feel some literal heartburn and the scorch of the whole thing searing off real layers of your soul — or you can plow the pain into purpose.

Channel negativity into creativity.

Don’t pick a side. Pick a person — the Person of Jesus. And go pick His ways.

Where there’s conflict — we don’t have to condemn the other, we don’t have to curse the future, we don’t have to circumvent the circumstances.
Where there’s conflict, there’s an opportunity — to practice being like Christ.

The world would change if, like Jesus, we chose
a donkey over a steed,
a cross over a crown,
a palm branch over bitterness,
and grace over guilt.

Read more here.onflict

Do you manage conflict, or avoid it at all costs?

Do you have a culture of "artificial harmony" at your work or in your home? Do you have a stomach for conflict? This Wall Street Journal column asserts that people who learn how to manage conflict are more likely to do well than people who avoid conflict. Are you able to stay cool and not take disagreements personally? If you are feeling uncomfortable, maybe you are actually doing the right thing!