I hate conflict. I’m a middle child. A peacemaker. When my brother and sister would fight, I’d cry. And here I am trying to make life as miserable as possible for my characters. Mind you, it’s all for a good cause. We need to see these characters face their demons, overcome (or not) and be better (or worse) people for it.
Conflict is a huge part of this life. No one is immune to it. There are conflicts of many kinds that assault us in our lives, and we can’t hide from them.
The connection between fiction and real life here is that if we view conflict as something that is allowed by God in order to make us better, we can see the bigger picture. If the Lord allows it in our lives, He will take us through it.
I’m currently reading Jeremiah. That poor man went through so much strife and suffering, and yet God told him, “I will rescue you.” Note that in order to be rescued, one needs to be in trouble. And in the end, God saved Jeremiah from death and deportation.
Can we trust that God has our best interests in mind? Sometimes our trials might be for the purpose of showing others God’s faithfulness to us through difficulty.
Let’s not let conflict get us down, but rather use it as a springboard to greater spiritual and emotional strength. I can’t get myself to say, “Bring it on!” but I can commit myself to the One who loves me more than any other and will never let me down.