I appreciate the intentionality of the tool for conflict mapping and find a desire to explore this more fully in the days to come. For me, one of the things that came to the surface was a basic question of what constitutes a conflict? As I looked back over the past few years I noticed that there were challenging relationships that came to mind and yet many of these do not impact my daily life today. Am I in conflict with people who are walking different paths in terms of theology, beliefs, practices, and ideologies if these paths don’t cross on a regular basis?

Can I be in conflict with someone I no longer see?

Am I in conflict with individuals or communities that run in different circles?

How might I stay open to repairing relationships while balancing this with the energy to be in the present relationships that I walk in each day?

I suppose the reality that I am asking these questions might indicate something stirring within and yet I also notice the need to discern how I use time and energy. When do I actively reengage with those from the past? How do I do this with open hands and an open heart that is truly rooted in love and not simply the desire to change this person? Is it ok to have a desire for the person to be encountered with a truth or new perspective I have experienced? Is it ok to let go of a relationship and move on in life?

Can conflict mapping be done without a context of regular relationship? Can it be applied to past conflict or just present relational conflicts?

Thoughts?