Don’t go along to get along. False peace does not heal relationships and inevitably leads to resentment and distance. Healthy relationships require honesty, even when being honest reveals how different we are, and might be perceived as threatening.
Our ability to tolerate these differences requires being grounded in God’s love, as well as our own self-acceptance. Specifically, it requires accepting our feelings, thoughts, and opinions as valid, no matter how conflicting they may feel. If we don’t, we will become insecure when other people disagree.
It is easy to fool yourself into believing that it is a good decision to pretend to agree when you don’t. However, this kind of dishonesty eventually erodes trust as well as self-respect. Healthy relationships require two people who are willing to agree to disagree. Both parties need to understand that revealing their truth can ultimately lead to greater closeness. (I am assuming that what you share is respectfully honored. What to reveal with ‘unsafe’ people is the topic for another blog!)
Personal thoughts and feelings are your emotional birthright.
Honor them by being authentic.
Pseudo-peace is only an illusion of peace and is short lived.
Please pray with me:
Lord Jesus, please reassure us of your Perfect Love when we are scared to ‘rock the boat’. Remind us that pretending to agree creates false peace. You gave your life to restore our broken relationship with You. Forgive us for the times we have treated relational wounds as though they were not serious, and give us the courage to speak our truth in love. Thank you for being the Prince of True Peace. We pray for relational peace in Your Name; Amen.
Until next time, Blessings! Deb