Offense Often Grows In Silence

Ephesians 4:26-27  “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath;  Neither give place to the devil.”  AMPC
 
“And don’t sin by letting anger control you.  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”    NLT
 
Offense rarely appears suddenly, it’s usually built over a period of time.  Most offenses grow slowly in the soil of silence, misunderstanding and unmet expectations.
 
Many people are carrying hurt over things they never discussed, clarified, or addressed.  Instead of communicating, they internalize disappointment.  Then the enemy begins whispering interpretations, accusations and suspicions into their thinking.   
 
What started as:  “They forgot”, slowly becomes, “They don’t value me anymore…”
 
What started as:  “They didn’t respond.” Becomes:  “They must not care about me.”  
 
Silence becomes dangerous when it allows imagination to speak louder than truth.  This is why Scripture warns us not to let unresolved issues remain unattended.  The longer offense sits in the heart, the more fortified it becomes.  Offense hardens communication, alters perception and creates emotional distance.  
 
Wisdom recognizes that unresolved disappointment can become an open door to strife, division and confusion.  Not every issue requires confrontation, but some issues require honest, humble conversation before bitterness takes root.  
 
Peace is not pretending nothing is wrong.  Peace is dealing with things God’s way before they grow larger.  
 
Wisdom Statement:  What is left unaddressed in the heart will eventually surface in behavior.