Because we aren’t thoroughly convinced of God’s unconditional love, we place enormous demands on others and ourselves. When the standards of performance aren’t met, we have difficulty accepting God’s love and forgiveness, and we withhold those things from others.
In order to protect ourselves, we tend to shy away from conflict. Often we choose to forfeit relationships or settle for less than adequate ones rather than risking the unpleasantness of confrontation and change.
But with God’s help, we can learn to benefit from the very relationships that seem the most troubling. In resolving difficult issues, we don’t have to allow conflict to drive us apart. We can use it as a catalyst for growth.