Have you seen conflict rise in your life or others with all that is going on around us?

What do you think is causing it?

One of the things I ask in premarital counselling is “Is conflict bad?” How would you answer that question?

Did you/do you experience sibling rivalry? What was it like?

If you were one of Joseph’s siblings, how would you feel about him in the early years?

Was the way they resolved their conflict with Joseph, selling him into slavery, a good or bad resolution? What could they have done differently?

Conflict is unavoidable. It can also be good if resolved correctly. Most of the time, we don’t resolve conflict very well. That’s the heart of this lesson; how to resolve conflict we might be part of.

Imagine being Joseph when he saw his brothers bowing before him and asking for food. How do you think you would have reacted if you were in his shoes?

The last part of Genesis gives us an indication that Joseph probably struggled for a while with how he felt towards his brothers. Rightly so.

How do you think he came to his realization in Gen 50:21-21 READ

How would that help US in times of conflict with other people?

There were 3 things I discussed in the sermon about how to deal with conflict in a Godly way.

1. Realize that God sees everything, and he cares

2. Realize that God gives everyone freedom of choice

3. Realize that God is in control of the final outcome.

Did one of those points resonate with you more than the others? Why?

Jerimiah 29:11 was written for the Israelites and a promise from God to them. Do you believe God’s promise is for believers today as well? Why/why not?

The second part of the lesson was about how to cope with conflict. We looked at Don’t give in to self pity, and don’t give in to bitterness.

Why would either of those attitudes keep up from coping with the conflicts we have in our life?

What do you think Joseph would tell you about self pity?

How can self-pity be a dangerous problem when coping with conflict?

Think about Heb 12:15: what is the writer saying about bitterness and it’s effect on a church. Have you ever seen that happen?

Use Eph 4:31-32 and discuss, bitterness, Christianity and conflict