Open My Eyes: A 21-Day Fasting Devotional from Jentezen FranklinSample

Fasting Day 11: Through The Eyes Of Conflict

It’s Day Eleven of our 21-day Fast. I pray that the daily devotion and the lessons on each page have helped grow you. I also pray that your eyes have been opened to things you haven’t seen before. And I come bearing good news – the best is yet to come. The last ten days are the sweetest of all if you will stay the course. I also come with a word of grace – if you fall off the wagon and eat something that violates the fast you committed to, shake it off. Jump back in immediately. It doesn’t mean you are a bad person; it means you are human. There’s grace for that. Today we’re focusing on eyes that are open to seeing resolved conflicts in our life. Are there conflicts on your job? Are there conflicts in your family? Are there conflicts with friends? Maybe somebody said something, did something, that has really offended you or hurt you. 

Seeing Conflict Through God’s Eyes 

I remember reading that over 70% of all people do not enjoy their work. When this is broken down, two of the most common reasons are difficult colleagues and office politics. When the statistics are that high, then I know I’m speaking to a whole lot of folks. There will always be difficult people in our lives because we are all human and all uniquely different. My guess is that when I said “difficult person” a face came to your mind. The question isn’t, “How do you see the most difficult person in your world?” The important question is, “What do you do with the most difficult person in your life?” 

Hold the face of that difficult person in your focus for a moment and answer a few questions. What does that person think of you? When that person sees you do they see a loving man or woman of God or something else? Didn’t Jesus die for your most difficult person? How do you think God sees that difficult person? Could there be a reason the Lord placed you in that person’s life? 

Prayer: 

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray today for the spirit of peace. I pray today for the spirit of reconciliation, of victory in every conflict. There are many people who are going through things during this fast. Maybe it’s a lawsuit; maybe it’s a problem on the job where there’s great conflict. May You open our eyes and give us the method, the way to peace and reconciliation with people in difficult situations. We ask for it, Lord. We submit it to You today, God. I thank You for the anointing to bring the resolution to conflict into these situations. In Jesus’ name we pray.