Is there anything in the Bible that a person can apply to their lives as to how to best deal directly with misunderstandings and confusion?<\/p>\n
I notice this is can be a weakness with a lot of people. When they encounter something they don’t at first understand, and it’s still taking longer than ‘usual’ to make sense, their reaction is often an emotional one that leads to frustration, and they quit trying. Getting frustrated never seems to work, though maybe it helps in some way. So I’m wondering what’s the best method to deal with this? Because it seems all strife and quarrels start with a misunderstanding of some sort. And people who understand are not likely to do or say things toward another that can be harmful. But not just misunderstandings between people, it can be a misunderstanding in regards to the Bible, it can be between two people who are quarreling, or it can be in regards to trying to better a skill. How are we to best deal with the ‘meantime’ in which we are directly confused by something or don’t fully understand any given situation?<\/p>\n\t
“But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will<\/em>” (II Timothy 2:23-26).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Patience is an absolute requirement in teaching others. It is very easy to get caught up in winning the current argument or wanting to get instant results, forgetting that the only important goal is helping people reach heaven. In describing love, I think there is an important reason that Paul’s list begins with “Love is patent, ..<\/em>.” (I Corinthians 13:4). It is what God shows toward us and what we must show toward others. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?<\/em>” (Romans 2:4).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Is there anything in the Bible that a person can apply to their lives as to how to best deal directly with misunderstandings and confusion? I notice this is can be a weakness with a lot of people. When they encounter something they don’t at first understand, and it’s still taking longer than ‘usual’…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[981,1513],"class_list":["post-26740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-communication","tag-relationships"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":60798,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/teaching-with-care\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":0},"title":"Teaching with Care","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 13, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer \"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness\" (James 3:1). For men and women who choose to teach in whatever capacity provided by the Lord, this passage can generate conflicting feelings. On the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87517,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/but-you-mix-your-fabrics\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":1},"title":"But You Mix Your Fabrics","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton Often, those who want to justify their ignoring the Bible on sexual sins will retort with how silly the Bible is and how inconsistent we are since the same book said not to mix your fabrics or not to eat lobster or pork! So, if you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/fabric-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":25449,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-correct-a-misunderstanding-that-the-holy-spirit-is-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":2},"title":"How do I correct a misunderstanding that the Holy Spirit is the Bible?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 7, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello. I just wanted to let you know that I think the new web site looks really nice and express my gratitude for the work you do. I do have a question that has been bothering me for a while, and although I've searched your archives for a response,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53891,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-misunderstood-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":3},"title":"The Misunderstood Jesus","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Understanding people is often difficult. What do they mean? How are they using phrases? Are they being literal or figurative, or both? In person, we can ask and clarify, but when we are reading what others said, we can easily misinterpret because we are not hearing the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46711,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-charges-against-paul\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":4},"title":"The Charges Against Paul","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Paul was charged with four things in Acts 24:4-7 Being a pest (a plague). Stirring up riots. Being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Trying to profane the temple. Paul's answer to 1 and 2 was that he had not stirred up any crowds in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27468,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-you-handle-being-invited-to-a-bible-class-that-you-know-isnt-going-to-teach-the-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":26740,"position":5},"title":"How do you handle being invited to a Bible class that you know isn’t going to teach the truth?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How do I handle getting offers to attend studies and other programs from my friends who attend denominational churches? The conflict is them saying \"no\" when I invite them and me saying \"no\" when they invite me. I know it's not worship. 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