The Sure Word for Today's quotation for the week:
God Restores My Soul.
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Conflict Resolution — Part 4.
A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (KJV).
The secret of being happy is acknowledging where you are in life and making the most of it. I have learned to make the best of the worst situation. I have ensured I do not have a bad day. Every day is great, no matter how the day turned out. It is great because I am alive to share the testimony that I am alive. What can be greater than being alive? You complain because of the things you could not achieve, but you are alive, and you have another chance to achieve your dreams and goals. Stop being arrogant. Thank God for the life you have. God promised he will make all things beautiful in his time. God's time is not your time, so be patient.
The key to resolving conflict is the ability to listen. The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We hear to reply back and score points. Stop confusing hearing and listening. They are not the same. The definition of hearing has more to do with the physiological act of hearing sounds than it does with making sense and connecting with the person who's talking to you. Listening, on the other hand, means "to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention, and to give consideration." Hearing is like collecting data. The act of hearing is relatively simple and basic. Start paying attention by listening.
At the root of every conflict is the presence of misunderstanding. We misunderstand each other because we tend to look at life from our perspective, with our lenses, not considering the other person's view. It is not a deliberate act, so you need to unlearn it and pay attention to others.
Talking about misunderstanding, but the elephant in the room is making an assumption. You assume the other person is feeling what you are feeling. The biggest reason for miscommunication and misunderstanding is a disparity of viewpoints. Also, two people can interpret the same statement differently. An ancient Chinese proverb says, "He who asks a question remains a fool for 5 minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever." Ask them to explain what they mean. Do not assume you know what they meant.
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All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the HOLY BIBLE unless otherwise indicated.
‘The Sure Word for Today’ is a publication of ‘The Sure Foundation Transcend Ministries,’ registered in the United Kingdom.
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