1 post tagged “contest”

Abraham Lincoln on the Civil War:

"The will of God prevails.  In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God.  Both may be--and one must be--wrong.  God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time.  In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party--and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect his purpose.

"I am almost ready to say this is probably true: that God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet.  By His mere quiet power, on the minds of the now contestants, He could have either saved or destroyed the Union without a human contest.  Yet the contest began.  And having begun He could give the final victory to either side any day.  Yet the contest proceeds."

I am learning something new this week.  Sometimes it's about the contest.  Sometimes the best way to work out a situation is to work it out. 

In the recent years of my life I've tried to avoid conflict.  But now I think it's not helping anything.  The conflict gets internalized and battles its way inside my head, until I'm frustrated with the whole thing.  What is this fear I have? Of letting people down.  Of upsetting people.  Of hurting people.  Yet it can still all happen.  You can't avoid this.

It's best to be honest.  To be direct.  If I'm going to let people down, then let them down by being myself.  Upset them when they understand my true intent.  Hurt as part of the contest that must exist.  I can't keep hurting myself, putting my dreams and desires in the back to avoid the pain others might feel.  That's part of their contest as well.