Have you ever censored yourself to keep the peace? I do it a lot, a lot more than I probably should. I do it for the exact reason of keeping the peace. You know pick your battles. Sometimes it’s just not worth it. And then, there are those times I should speak up but still don’t. I keep the peace.
But who’s peace am I keeping? Theirs or mine? And is it fair to me to keep silent or censor myself just to keep someone else peace if being silent doesn’t keep mine? Is it really helping me to not respond, speak up, speak out.
And then you hear, “Your silence is your answer” “You not speaking out is you being complacent or agreeing”. But is it always? Is it my answer, or me being complacent or my agreement to something; or is it me taking care of myself. Is it me making sure my mental health is in a good place rather than respond and start an argument that could end up being ugly and hurtful. For reasons that might or might not make sense on either side. All because of an opinion, a feeling, a thought, an understanding, a misunderstanding.
Because, lets be honest for a moment, when it all comes down to it we are only responsible for ourselves. We are responsible for who and what is ours. We owe it to ourselves to keep our own peace, however or whatever that might be.
Your truth is your truth, and my truth is mine; but that does not make yours mine or mine yours. It only makes it a truth. And sometimes the truth remembered, sometimes the truth told, sometimes the truth that is taken as the truth is filled with those exact things: an opinion, a feeling, a thought, an understanding, a misunderstanding.
So sometimes I speak, and sometimes I don’t. But even if I don’t it doesn’t mean that I am in an agreement or a complacency. It may mean it makes more sense for me to keep my mental health in place. It may mean I don’t fully understand and feel a comment or reaction will make things worse. It may mean that I just need to keep your peace, not mine.
I will, however, always speak when it comes to the Lord. No amount of peace is worth being silent when it comes to the Lord and Jesus, and His word.
Rewriting Kel 