Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
People of God, in our various relationships in this world, we are bound to have differences because God designed us to be different. That should not cause us, however, to engage in unnecessary battles because as a Christian, you are called to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker.
While we should be willing to adjust for the sake of peace, we should be unwilling to compromise in the name of peace. Unnecessary battles are often prolonged by pride expressed through our stubbornness to make such adjustments. We should be ready to adjust over issues of preference, but not to compromise over issues of principle. Principles of the Living Word of God are not negotiable, just as the truth in the Living Word of God is not changeable.
Immature handling of conflicts and confrontations in relationships makes it easy for the devil to derail us spiritually. Christ’s standard is to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. You may think you are ‘winning’ the wrong battle – but it is akin to gaining the world, yet losing your soul (Mark 8:36). Why fight such a battle at the expense of your relationship with God?
So, what is the way out? When we are too idle, we are especially vulnerable to the temptation of fighting a wrong battle. This is why we must be so careful of what we feed our hearts with. Because what you feed determines how you fight.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, help me to avoid the trap of fighting the wrong battle. Give me the grace to walk in my calling as a blessed peacemaker. In Jesus’ name, amen.