“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Ephesians 4:26
Unresolved conflict causes strained relationships.
John D. Rockefeller is known as perhaps the wealthiest man to ever live. He amassed a great fortune by his work in the oil industry. During the oil boom, he founded the Standard Oil Company and built it into a massive corporation that is still in existence today, over one hundred years later. Rockefeller was a benevolent man, giving away much of his wealth, yet he was also known as a prudent businessman. One day an executive at Standard Oil made a mistake that cost the company two million dollars. Everyone was afraid of Rockefeller’s reaction and many avoided him completely, except for Edward Bedford, one of Standard Oil’s partners. Bedford had a meeting scheduled with Rockefeller, and kept his meeting even though he fully expected to hear a string of complaints about the executive who made the wrong decision.
As Bedford entered Rockefeller’s office he notice John sitting at his desk writing out a list. Bedford sat down and Rockefeller looked up at him as he said, “I’m sure you’ve heard by now of our loss.” “I have” answered Bedford readying himself for Rockefeller’s anger. Rockefeller continued, “Well, I’ve been thinking about it, and decided to create a list of attributes of the man. Here I’ve written some down,” and he handed Bedford the paper. To Bedford’s amazement he read at the top of the paper, “Points in favor of Mr. _______.” Below it was listed a collection of the man’s virtues and attributes. Rather than berate the man or display his anger, John Rockefeller had created a list of benefits the man brought to the company.
Even though John Rockefeller was pained about the large loss, he didn’t display anger, but displayed an overall appreciation of the many good things the man had done. Too often people are quick to become angry and forget all the good that people have done. One infraction or misstep and everything changes.
God states, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” So many times angry words are said, anger is invoked, or feelings are hurt that linger on for days, weeks, or even months. When you react harshly or out of anger, God desires that you would quickly repent of your actions and restore your relationship with the other person.
How often do you go to bed at night with unresolved conflicts? God desires that before a day goes by, you would make right the wrongs that were committed. Sometimes that requires being the more mature person and putting aside pride to make things right. Sometimes it’ll take a humbling of self, a forcing aside pain, or a relying on God’s strength to meet, call, write, or somehow contact someone with whom you have a conflict.
Can you honestly say you have no unresolved conflict in your life right now? If not, who do you need to contact to make right a relationship? What relationship do you need to restore right now?