Loving through conflict: reflecting God’s heart

Conflict can shrink our vision. When tension rises, it’s easy to focus on what the other person did wrong, replay their hurtful words in our head, and forget who they are in God’s eyes. Yet scripture invites us to see differently.

During his final meal with his disciples, Jesus gave this “new commandment”, 

“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:34-35 NLT

John also reminds us that love comes from God, and those who belong to him reflect his love: 

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”

1 John 4:7 NLT

In the middle of conflict, we have an opportunity to glorify God by loving in ways that reflect his heart.

Loving in tension is not about trying harder. It’s about abiding in Christ. As we spend time with him, we make space for the Holy Spirit to shape our heart, change what we see, soften our responses, and fill us with the love we cannot produce ourselves. 

When we draw from his reservoir, we can cultivate authentic love. We can begin to see the other person as God sees them: a child of his, a work in progress, with potential yet to be realised. Somone just like us, someone in need of grace. This perspective helps us respond with compassion, grace, encouragement, and inclusion, even as we pursue truth.

As we embrace God’s love more fully, we are empowered to love others more fully. Today, ask: how might God be inviting you to love someone in conflict in a way that reflects his heart?