Tuesday, September 16, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 12

Have you ever been told to forgive and forget something that hurt you?

Unfortunately, this approach to handling conflict doesn’t address the fact that it’s healthy to acknowledge the pain we’re experiencing and face it. God understands all of the hurt and sadness that we hold in our hearts. I don’t know about you, but I have been undergoing my own season of heartbreak, grieving, and forgiveness, so this week’s message struck a nerve in my heart. It’s moments like these when I truly believe that God is speaking to us.

Last weekend, we learned that avoiding conflict isn’t the answer. It is our responsibility to confront it head on before we allow it to further damage our relationships with others and with God.

James 5:19-20
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

In order for true restoration and forgiveness to take place, deep - often uncomfortable - conversations need to be had with our brothers and sisters in Christ to address the conflict and prevent it from sowing further division in our lives. The beauty of it is that this is as simple as a conversation between two people – yourself and the person who you believed sinned against you.

It does not have to be a public feud or a spectacle. Jesus tells us to “go privately and point out the offense” (Matthew 18:15). This is a reflection of how God pursues our own hearts when we are led astray. It is often in the quiet, still moments that God convicts us of our sin and draws us closer to him. Similarly, it is in private, calm conversations with others where conflict can be resolved and relationships restored.

Inevitably, we will all be hurt at some point, just as we will hurt others. It is the result of living in a fallen, broken world. However, when we bravely and lovingly confront the negative feelings in our relationships with difficult conversations, we have the ability to heal hearts and restore what is broken.

Questions:
Why is it important that we work through conflict instead of avoiding it?

How can a private conversation with someone with whom you have conflict heal both of your hearts?

Next Steps:
Pray over any conflict that you may be having this week and ask God to give you the strength and grace to gently resolve it.

Reach out to someone who may be going down a negative path and pray over them in Jesus’ name.

For an additional resource, check out this framework for Handling Conflict that was created for this week of the series, Don’t Get Screwed.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thanks for forgiving me when I stray from your path. Thanks for always bringing me back to you and for having grace when I mess up. Thanks for my brothers and sisters in Christ that you have sent into my life that convict me of my sin when I am led astray. Please use me as a positive force in others’ lives to convict them of any sins they may be committing and lead them back to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Romans 12:17-18
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a Perrysburg attendee and regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.