Faith and Family Conflict

Sometimes it’s easy to blame or yell at God during a family conflict. But have you ever look at a conflict with your teenager as a way that God might be trying to build your family’s faith?

One way to start is by changing your prayer from "Lord, help us out of this!" to "Lord, help us to learn what you want us to." This prayer keeps your family members from seeing struggles as a state of imprisonment (something to escape from) and changes it into a way the family can grow.

Most of us know that we rarely get an answer to the question, "Why?" from God. Therefore, instead of demanding definitive answers from God, it’s more productive to ask for humility and trust in his goodness.

Also, avoid wishing that things were different or for God to change others. Remember different is not always better. Plus by asking God to make thinks different, you are sending a message to your family members (true or not) that you don’t appreciate them. Instead, remind your family of the presence of God, even during painful times. There is also the "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," to think about.

Finally, instead of pray for ways to resolve a conflict quickly, ask, "Lord, what do you want to teach me through this?"