The Things We Never Speak

There are thoughts many people carry in silence:

“I resent my spouse.”
“I am tired of my kids.”
“I can never tell anyone about what I did.”
“I’m afraid God is disappointed in me.”

Silence intensifies our shame.

In the Psalms, David writes:

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away…” Psalms 32:3

Unspoken thoughts grow louder in our minds.

I once had a client sit in my office for three sessions before finally whispering, “I don’t think I love her anymore.” This was a man who was deeply committed to his wife. He loved the Lord. He wanted to honor his marriage. And yet, the thought that he didn’t love his wife anymore was overwhelming him with shame. It was too much for him to carry.

He expected shock.

Instead, we got curious.

Was it a loss of love? Maybe misunderstandings of what love is?
Was it burnout?
Was it untreated depression?
Was it grief over unmet expectations?

When spoken safely, the thought finally became workable.

Left unspoken, it felt catastrophic. It was destroying him.

Not every thought needs public broadcasting. But some need light.

Shame thrives in secrecy.
Clarity grows in honesty.

You are not alone in the things you never speak. And often, the bravest choices we make begin with a quiet sentence spoken aloud to a trusted friend or wise counselor.