conflict management

I was talking with a new friend the other day.  He told me that he had a degree in conflict management.  He said that his degree was not in conflict resolution, because most conflicts cannot be resolved, they can only be managed.

Wow.  My little brain stopped. 

Here I have been trying to fix things for years and I think he may be right, that there are many things that can only be managed, never completely healed.  Sure, miracles happen from time to time and God can do anything, but so often the healing that we experience still leaves a scar, a mark, or a memory. 

When I think of resolution, I expect the thing to be perfect, to go back to the way it was before.  When I think of conflict management, I think that I need to allow myself and others the freedom to be human.  It makes me want to relax in the world and accept the fact that there are many broken things in this world, but it is still good.  Keep working on them, manage them.  Your life does not have to be perfect.  It's all good.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.