Tag: John Paul Lederach

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Peace in the Imperfections

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

One the other side of Conflict is Peace.

While the two are in complete contrast with one another, they have a totally dependent relationship.

Think about it. If you never experienced Conflict you would have never known what Peace felt like and if you had never experienced Peace you would have no clue that Conflict even exists.

What if it were possible to have your Conflict and Peace meet one another to settle a few past issues? What if your self-doubt and insecurity could have a face-off with your confidence and well-being? What if you reached a place in life that was so freeing and so rewarding that you wanted to reach back to your old self and say, “it all worked out fine.”

Really, as a woman who has experienced quite a few conflicts in life, I think I owe it to my younger self to discuss those insecurities that were felt growing up. You know those things like never feeling good enough or pretty enough or smart enough or whatever enough.

Never ____ enough caused a lot of heartbreak for millions of little girls around the world, and it still does today.

If I could sit down with my younger self, I would give her the biggest hug and let her know that she turned out magnificent, flaws, scars, hurt feelings and all. The tears that were shed and the self-doubt that was experienced helped to propel her into a women with drive and motivation who was eager to succeed and do great things. I would let her know that on the other side of the Conflict she experienced, there is Peace in the imperfections.

So how about you? What internal discussions do you need to have and what past insecurities do you need to release? Are you holding on to self doubt and insecurity, unsure of your worth and purpose? It’s time to let it go and make Peace with the unknown. It all starts with having “peaceful intentions” for your life and those around you. When you make a solid choice to treat yourself better, there is nothing or no-one that can block you from receiving Peace.

May Peace and Grace be multiplied to you!

Peace and Wellness!

SuGa

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Painfully Obvious

There comes a point in every conflict when you have to decide what your next move will be. You can choose to resolve it or to transform it. Conflict Resolution is the process of alleviating or eliminating your issues by any means necessary. When you resolve an issue, you take immediate action to stop the discomfort.

On the other hand, Conflict Transformation is the intentional act of analyzing a problem with the expected outcome of fully understanding all of its working parts. When you make a choice to transform, you are looking for opportunities of growth.

So what will it be for you? Resolution or Transformation?

Are you at a point in your life where you don’t understand why situations played themselves out like they did? Maybe you are seeking clarity in a tough decision or expecting validation from someone you love. Whatever it is for you, has it become painfully obvious that a change is necessary? Are you on the cusp of peace but surrounded in conflict and unsure which way you should go?

In the Book of Acts, the jailer who was watching over Paul and Silas found himself in a troubling predicament. As he slept, there was a violent earthquake and the doors of the jail flung open. This jailer was prepared to take his own life because he thought all the prisoners had escaped. In his crisis moment, he could only think of a short-term solution.

In The Little Book of Conflict Transformation, John Paul Lederach, gives us several practical points to consider that will help us develop a deeper capacity for transforming our conflicts.

  1. Develop a capacity to see presenting issues as a window: A transformational approach requires that we develop a capacity to see the immediate situation without being overwhelmed. We have to avoid the urgency to resolve and develop the ability to see beyond the present issue.
  2. Develop a capacity to integrate multiple time frames: We have to think and act without being bound by the constraints of a short-term view of time. Instead of constantly working in crisis mode, we can become more intentional in our actions by developing strategies and processes with different views of time (short-term and long-term) that allow us to create a more peaceful existence.
  3. Develop the capacity to pose the energies of conflict as dilemmas: Oftentimes we experience multiple conflicts all at once and it becomes necessary to simultaneously deal with them. We have to develop language and dialogue that is all-inclusive. We have to find ways to develop a deeper desire for peace in the midst of our trouble.

Paul and Silas understood the greater purpose that was at work and they spoke out and said, “do not harm yourself, we are here. Because of their willingness to transform the conflict, multiple dilemmas were resolved.

  1. The Jailer and his family found Jesus and were saved.
  2. Paul and Silas did not have to compromise their beliefs. They continued worshipping God in freedom and in captivity.
  3. God’s word stood firm all on its own. Paul and Silas didn’t have to craft an escape plan simply because the doors flew open. They understood there was greater work to be performed.

Peace and Wellness,

SuGa