Silent killer

I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.

Psalm 39:2,12 ESV

One of the saddest things in any relationship is when the people involved stop talking. The only thing worse than bad communication is no communication! At least when there is a heated exchange there is an opportunity once the dust has settled and emotions have calmed to learn and reassess. But when people stop talking to each other there is no opportunity for progress. Bad attitudes fester. Bad feelings linger on beneath the surface unresolved.

Sometimes we stop talking because we don't know what to say or we are worried about saying the wrong thing.

Sometimes even our relationship with God can be affected this way. We know the things we think we should say, but because that's not what we want to say we choose instead to say nothing. We "hold our peace" with God and then wonder why God "holds his peace" with us.

For any relationship to work there needs to be open and honest communication. This includes our relationship with God. If we put on a front and only say what we think we should say, we are not opening up. Our relationship is superficial. Eventually we will not be able to keep up the pretence.

A peace that comes from "holding your peace" is an unsustainable solution. Like David you will find it only makes the distress worse. To properly move on the silence must be broken.

God doesn't want us to keep silent about what is troubling us. Nor does he wish to remain silent on these matters.

It's time to break the silence!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 NIV