Handling Conflict, Discouragement, Depression, and Weeping

The Question: 

How do you handle conflict and discouragement among God's People?

The Answer:

Two of the devil's strongest weapons are conflict among God's people and discouragement. Do you know why this happens so often? Because there is ministry here that can set you free and the devil wants you to remain in bondage, a prisoner to the bad habits and bad thoughts that he has placed in your life.

When you let things discourage you and you run away, you are playing right into his hands, and cutting yourself off from help and healing in Jesus.

Part of the depressive syndrone is a desire to run away from God and not TO Him. You gotta make yourself run *TO* God. Know that He's not an angry old man with a long beard and a fly swatter waiting for a chance to smush you, but a loving Father longing for His child to give up striving and surrender to His peace.

Quit trying to figure out with your head what your heart already knows to do. If you think you are unworthy of God's love and forgiveness, then you are putting your own thoughts above God's Word. Ignore what your head says about you and accept what God's Word says. That's faith, baby! Acceptance, rest and peace this is my prayer for your heart!

When conflict comes, what should you do?

1. When you are offended, you have a choice: either react in anger or step back and control yourself.
2. Don't argue back, it only creates more strife.
3. Try to reason with the person without getting mad.
4. Chase after peace.
5. Forgive them if they hurt you.
6. Maybe go to another chat room or log off until you cool down.
7. PRAY for them.
8. Seek out a mature Christian to share with - and listen to what he/she says.
9. Above all, don't let the devil douse you with discouragement. Be wise to his devices.

So what if all you feel like doing is to cry out to God? But you've always been the one with all the answers? Yep, it's hard to be the tough one when you want to bawl. But we have to be honest before God with our feelings. Our tears don't scare him, or make Him think less of us.

So cry, cry, cry! Get it all out. I can't tell you how many times I held it all in and was strong for everybody, but when I came into the presence of my Lord, I gave my burdens and tears to Him. I was almost ashamed to go to church because I would end up at the altar, crying my heart out. But God understood, and those precious brothers and sisters who would join me in prayer did too.

Besides, it's healthy to cry tears of sadness, tears of emotion, tears of gladness because it gets rid of a lot of toxic stuff that otherwise build up.

Never be afraid to cry before God. He hears you. David wept before the Lord. Read Psalm 6:1-10:

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?
Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?
I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

God hears our prayers and sees our tears (2 Kings 20:5). He records our complaints and keeps our tears in a bottle.

Psalms 56:8 (English-KJV) Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

You are important to Him, believer. Cry to Him and He will answer you, and fill your heart with joy. Know that the Lord loves each and every one of you and has brought you here for a reason. Don't let the spirit of discouragement take you captive and rob you of God's best.

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