{"id":13617,"date":"2022-12-28T05:00:46","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2c63bbbc-9abe-11e8-99ad-ca52c1e5b2af"},"modified":"2025-05-02T12:01:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T18:01:13","slug":"4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"

I used to work at a church, and one of the things we were always exploring is what it meant to operate like the Early Church. How did the first churches do it? Surely, they were the ones who got it right. And they didn\u2019t have lights, sound systems, bulletins\u2026 none of that stuff.<\/p>\n

We were chasing this ideal, assuming that if we could do church just like the first century Christians did, it would be perfect. Unfortunately, that\u2019s far from the truth.<\/p>\n

It turns out, the Early Church was filled with conflict. In fact, our hero Paul, writer of most of the New Testament books, was one of the big sources of drama early on. You\u00a0may immediately think of him killing Christians as Saul before he became Paul. The crazy thing, though, is that there was conflict even after he\u00a0became one of the \u201cgood guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Acts, we see Paul giving a verbal smack-down to Peter \u2013 one of the original disciples \u2013 for being hypocritical. Peter would eat with Gentiles sometimes, but when his Jewish friends were around, he wouldn\u2019t. Paul called him on it. Later, Paul split from Barnabas, his traveling companion, over irreconcilable differences. A few times, Paul even had to defend himself to some of the churches he planted because a lot of people didn\u2019t like him.<\/p>\n

The Early Church was a mess! Nevertheless, something beautiful grew from it. There were hidden possibilities even in the strife. And guess what. I\u2019m convinced there are hidden possibilities for your life in your own conflicts. I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.<\/p>\n

1. God changing you.<\/h4>\n

Proverbs 27:17<\/a> gives a picture of iron sharpening iron; that\u2019s how we sharpen each other. Through friction and conflict, God is sharpening you into a more effective tool. Next time you\u2019re involved in conflict, don\u2019t just wallow in your frustration. Ask yourself (and God) what needs to change in you. What will make you a more effective tool to be used by Him? God can change you into a better, more mature person through conflict.<\/p>\n

2. God changing the other person.<\/h4>\n

Sometimes the conflict isn\u2019t even about you. Maybe there\u2019s nothing God\u2019s working on\u00a0in you in this particular area. Maybe he\u2019s using you as the tool to sharpen someone else. It\u2019s important, in this instance, to not give into frustration. Don\u2019t see your opponent as the enemy. Instead, look for ways to infuse grace and patience into the situation. You don\u2019t have to leave the conflict feeling abused. You can leave feeling like you offered hope to your friend.<\/p>\n

3. God using your conflict as an example.<\/h4>\n

In John 13:35<\/a>, Jesus gave this picture to His disciples: \u201cYour love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.\u201d Maybe conflict is actually an opportunity to show the world that believers can get along, despite differences. When love prevails in an argument, that\u2019s our chance to prove that we actually follow Jesus. There doesn\u2019t have to be consensus to have love. And one of the most powerful testimonies to the world is a believer hugging another believer after a disagreement.<\/p>\n

4. An innovative idea.<\/h4>\n

If two people are able to successfully maintain an argument<\/a> for more than an hour, it\u2019s either because they are arguing unfairly or because neither of them is 100 percent right. Perhaps this conflict is an opportunity for creative thought. Maybe it\u2019s your chance to come up with an innovative solution that solves the problem.<\/p>\n

Every conflict has more than two sides. There\u2019s always a hidden, greater option available. You just have to dig to find it. The resolution to your conflict could be a brand new idea. It could be a new business or a new ministry. Look for the opportunity in the conflict. Conflict doesn\u2019t have to be a bad thing. In fact, God uses conflict to move us into new places. We just have to keep our hearts pure in the process. Respond well to the conflict and see what amazing things God can do in the middle.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Jonathan is a creative entrepreneur and writer. He is the author of <\/em>“The Hidden Option<\/a>,<\/em>“ a book that helps believers find God\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>creativity in impossible situations. You\u2019ll find him in San Antonio, Texas, roasting his own\u00a0<\/em>coffee beans and enjoying life with his wife, Carolina.<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright 2017 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Conflict is never enjoyable, but I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":43190,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[3,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13617","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adulthood","category-personal-growth"],"yoast_head":"\n4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict - Boundless<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Conflict is never enjoyable, but I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Boundless\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/boundless.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-02T18:01:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/ThinkstockPhotos-638890136.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"853\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/ThinkstockPhotos-638890136.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/\",\"name\":\"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict - Boundless\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-28T12:00:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-02T18:01:13+00:00\",\"description\":\"Conflict is never enjoyable, but I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"a man and woman dealing with conflict in a conversation\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog Posts\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/\",\"name\":\"Boundless\",\"description\":\"Find your place. Focus your future.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Boundless\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/boundless-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/boundless-logo.png\",\"width\":1201,\"height\":289,\"caption\":\"Boundless\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/boundless.org\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict - Boundless","description":"Conflict is never enjoyable, but I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict","og_description":"I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/","og_site_name":"Boundless","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/boundless.org","article_modified_time":"2025-05-02T18:01:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":853,"url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/ThinkstockPhotos-638890136.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict","twitter_description":"I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.","twitter_image":"http:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/ThinkstockPhotos-638890136.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/","url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/","name":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict - Boundless","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp","datePublished":"2022-12-28T12:00:46+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-02T18:01:13+00:00","description":"Conflict is never enjoyable, but I believe there are four hidden options that can come from conflict, as long as we respond properly to it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict-68150845ed020.webp","width":1500,"height":1000,"caption":"a man and woman dealing with conflict in a conversation"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/4-opportunities-you-should-look-for-during-conflict\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog Posts","item":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"4 Opportunities You Should Look For During Conflict"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/","name":"Boundless","description":"Find your place. Focus your future.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#organization","name":"Boundless","url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/boundless-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/boundless-logo.png","width":1201,"height":289,"caption":"Boundless"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/boundless.org"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/13617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/13617\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boundless.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}