The Root of Conflict

Written by Gail Rodgers

Are you feeling ready to walk away from a relationship – are you possibly even considering divorce? We want to pray for you.

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

No one likes to think of herself as needy. We prefer other adjectives for ourselves, words that reflect strength or wisdom. Just for a moment think about your own needs. It’s easier to think of someone else and how to help them but can you identify where you are needy?

There is a tool we can use to help us see our own need. It is the tool of paying attention to any conflict in our lives. Conflict often reflects unmet needs. Think about it for a moment.

Recall the last encounter you had with conflict. Most of us don’t have to dig very far into our memories. Sometimes the unmet need is basic and easy to remedy such as the need for sleep.

Yet often it is much deeper. The need to feel valued and heard or the need to be accepted or respected can cause conflict from a wounded heart.

Control and manipulation finds their roots in an unmet need. Trying to manage the outcome of all that is gong on around you is exhausting and causes conflict at many levels.

Think about where conflict exists in your life and ask God to help you identify any unmet need, yours or someone else’s that may exist at the root of it. Begin to pray about those needs.

When you see potential conflict on your horizon… stop… and use the opportunity as a tool to build into your own life or to pray into another’s. Look honestly at yourself and GROW through conflict.

G- Give God the opportunity to reveal to your heart any unmet need that may be at the root of this conflict. Be open to seeing your own need and to praying for the needs of another. It will help dissolve hostility too.

R- Recognize that God is the only One who can meet all of your needs.

O- Open your heart to God’s help, asking Him to be the Source you need for that unmet need in your life. Consider asking another Christian to pray for you in this.

W- Walk beside another in prayer as you pray for their unmet needs asking God to be their Source in meeting the needs of their soul.

God promises to be the Source for all of your needs.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Father God,
Please help me to identify the unmet needs that exist in the conflicts I find myself in. Help me to turn to You to meet the deep needs of my heart. Help me to pray for the needs in the lives of those I have conflict with. Be the source of all I need today. In Jesus’ strong name I pray, Amen.

Questions: As you take time to think about your life, what would you say are your needs? What are some ways you can discover what your needs are?

About the Author Gail Rodgers

Tags: conflict, control, gail rodgers, hostility, manipulation, needy, root, wisdom

2 Responses to “The Root of Conflict”

Loading comments
Em says:

July 27, 2010 at 11:10 pm

Thanks for shedding light on this. I have struggled with this in the past. There are certain personalities that are difficult for me to get along with. I pray for mercy, grace, peace, over the relationships of my life, esp. with those that are more ‘difficult.’ I am praying for peace. May God bless you all!
Janice says:

July 27, 2010 at 8:43 am

God is what you need when you need it! I am thankful that He loves and cares for our mental, emotional, and spiritual health and how it affects the relationships we cultivate with each other. This devotional cuts right to the core of what needs to be said. Thanks Gail for being a willing and obedient vessel to deliver that message.