Conflicts will slip into even the closest and healthiest of relationships. However, the Bible is full of insights that ensure that they don’t become conflagrations that destroy churches, families, and friendships. Being told to love and be kind (John 13:34,35) live in peace and harmony with one another (Rom 15:13-16) and forgive (Eph 4:31,32) may sound banal family advice for Christians. Perhaps one of the hardest things to do in an emotionally escalating situation is to remember that our Christianity is to be tangible in those moments. Our Christian witness stands or falls, not when we are in church, in prayer, or in Bible study but when we are in the privacy of our own homes, engaging with our families.

Because family members are bound to do or say things that they will eventually regret, forgiveness becomes a key component in the discussion of family troubles. Forgiveness is miraculous. See Eph 1:7 The secret to being an incurable forgiver is to live the life of the forgiven;” Be kind to one another… forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.: Eph 4:32. We can take heart in living under the glorious realization that through Christ we are thoroughly forgiven. Having the Holy Spirit press that truth through the membrane of our souls, we will be able to genuinely forgive one another. This understanding truly is the key for experiencing peace within the family