After Corrie ten Boom was released from a German concentration camp, she traveled the world as an evangelist. During this time, her traveling companion was a young woman named Connie.
One afternoon, as Corrie and Connie chatted outside near where they were staying, a man prompted by the Holy Spirit, approached them and said, “When I saw you sitting here together, a question came to mind, ‘Do they walk in the light together?’” Both women assured him that they did; they were a team. But Connie was bothered.
When Corrie went inside to answer the phone, Connie said to the man, “Tante Corrie is so much more mature than I. She has walked with Jesus for so many years. She has suffered much for Him in many ways. . . when I see things in her life that are not right, I hesitate to speak them out to her.” The man encouraged Connie to bring all things into the light.
In her book, “Tramp for the Lord,” Corrie wrote:
That night, Connie said, “Tante Corrie, this is very difficult for me to say, but I now realize I must walk in the light.” One by one she began listing the things in my life which bothered her—the things I did which she did not believe glorified God. It was not easy for me to hear the things which I had done wrong—things which had caused a shadow to come in Connie’s heart. But how wonderful it was that Connie was being completely honest with me. I apologized for the things she had listed and then thanked her for bringing them into the light. “Let us always walk in the light together,” I said seriously.
Scripture says that if we walk in the light as He is in the light then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin (1 John 1:7). This is what Corrie and Connie experienced. Unfortunately, we often do not handle offenses in this way. Instead out of fear or pride, we refuse to go to the person with whom we are having the conflict. And when we refuse to go, offense can grow—because offense always grows in the dark but understanding happens in the light.
When we bring what has hurt or offended us into the light, like Connie did with Corrie, we give the other person the opportunity to explain their heart behind their motives. Then when we respond to them with lovingkindness and forgiveness, love grows, reconciliation happens, and God is glorified.
When we handle conflict in a God-honoring way, our faith will grow as we witness His movement to bring about positive change in our relationships. But if we remain stubborn and inflexible, hold grudges, and refuse to forgive, then faith is hindered, and the courage to handle conflict His way will be stifled.
The world desperately needs more Christians to be courageous and bold in handling relational conflict so that they can see the love of Christ.
Make a promise to yourself and to God today that no matter how difficult it is that you will walk in the light and that God’s command to love will be your guide.
Additional Resources
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