Tactical Pause

Pausing to lift our concerns to God is a valuable habit to form when approaching a conflict. In Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson write, “One of the most valuable things you can do in conflict is to simply stop—just as you are about to say something to put conflict over the edge, just as you are about to cause relationship wreckage. … That’s the time to simply STOP and ask yourself, ‘How can I please and honor God in this situation?’” (47). In the military, such a stop is known as a “tactical pause.” It refers to the benefit of stopping before, or even in the midst of, military action to assess the situation. Leadership is taught to “look, listen, and think” before a decision. “Whether you are leading a column of tanks, a 4-ship of F-15 Eagles or a product improvement team, taking a tactical pause can reap amazing benefits” (Christopher P. Levy, “The Tactical Pause,” General Leadership, December 18, 2015, https://generalleadership.com/tactical-pause/). To stop, look, and listen—and also to pray—is to reap amazing benefits in a conflict.