I’ll admit it freely: Guys want to fix problems. We want things to be normal. But maybe it isn’t just a guy thing- don’t we all want a peaceful existence? Don’t we all life to go smoothly without hiccups or glitches?

Call It What It Is

When presented with conflict, my mother always said one thing, “This isn’t just ‘drama,’ it’s sin!” If we’re going to get to the root of the problem, if we’re really going to dig deeply and find out what causes us to have conflict, we’re going to have to name it: We’re sinners. The human heart is corrupt. If that rubs you the wrong way, then you haven’t been reading your Bible, specifically Jeremiah 17:9 and Matthew 15:19.

Where guys find themselves in trouble, primarily in relationships, is when they want to fix the problem. How many times have you heard a woman say, “I wish he would just listen instead of trying to find a solution!” Yet again, it isn’t just guys trying to fix the problem, we all want reconciliation from conflict. Everyone has a deep longing for something better. A longing for peace. The hard thing is letting go of our innate desire to be the savior, while constantly running to our effective cultural saviors: Money, comfort, pleasure and power.

Christ is The Only True Savior

Jesus is the only one who takes this thing we call life, and changes it into something worth living. Christ is the only effective savior who can extend a hand, a solution and say, “I’m going to take your sin, I’m going to take it on my shoulders.” He’s the only one who can say, “I’ve chosen you to be children of God, I redeem you and love you as you are, not as you should be.” This is what he does on the cross, this is where he extends an open invitation to grace.

Do you actually believe, that Christ loves you with unconditional love? In the moment of your greatest sin, in the minute of your utmost rebellion, hatred and scorning of the cross, do you believe that he can’t stop loving you? Jesus didn’t come to make you a better person, he came to make you alive! He came to raise your dead bones and change your entire state of being!

We Mirror Christ

When we are grasped by the reality of grace, when it grabs hold of our heart, our attitudes can’t help but change. We are saved through Christ, to the freedom of good works. It’s cause and effect in it’s most basic form. With grace comes an understanding that we don’t take Christ’s place as savior, we can’t be the solution to problems, but we mirror Christ in the way we respond to them. Christ lived with people who had problems, Christ listened to people with problems, and most importantly, Christ loved people with problems. “Go therefore and do likewise.” -Luke 10:37