Reflection for April 11, 2014

"While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.."(Psalm 32:3)

We are often told we shouldn't keep things that are bothering us "bottle up.". Whether it be something we are aware of that others have done and are holding our tongues, or perhaps more often something we've done that we just can't admit to.

Silence is golden they say, but gold can be pretty weighty.  Hard to move on when you are weighted down. Hard not to just waste away in guilt or grief, because we just can't or won't talk about it.

From a faith perspective of course we are encouraged to tell these things to God. To speak them allowed in prayer, some would say "give it up to God.". That can be a helpful start.  When we find the words to speak to God and/or own up to our own mistakes, it is very freeing.  The promise of forgiveness continues to urge us forward from that freedom.

Once the. forgiveness from God takes root, it may be easier to confront the wrongs done to us, or perhaps even better to own up to the wrongs we have done to others.