May 21

The story in 2 Samuel 13–14 is filled with pain, injustice, and silence. Amnon violates Tamar, and David—though angry—does nothing. Absalom waits, plots, and eventually murders his brother, then flees. Even when David allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem, he refuses to see his face for two full years.

This is a story not only of sin, but of emotional and relational fracture—the kind that festers when we leave wounds unaddressed. David’s failure to confront sin or seek reconciliation creates deep division in his family and opens the door to future rebellion.

Yet in Psalm 32, we hear David reflect on the spiritual cost of buried sin:  “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away... For day and night Your hand was heavy on me” (vv.3–4).

But then comes the breakthrough:  “Then I acknowledged my sin to You... and You forgave the guilt of my sin” (v.5).

This psalm reminds us that unconfessed sin suffocates the soul, but God’s grace brings relief and renewal. Healing begins not with hiding, but with honest confession.

In Acts 28, we see a sharp contrast. Paul, shipwrecked but undeterred, arrives in Rome and continues to boldly proclaim the kingdom of God. His life is an open book—no pretense, no retreat. Though chained, he’s spiritually free. Even under house arrest, Paul’s integrity gives him power and credibility to minister.

Where David’s silence bred more sorrow, Paul’s transparency bore fruit. Where unresolved pain lingered in David’s household, Paul walked in peace even among strangers.

God invites us to stop hiding, to confess freely, and to walk in the freedom of His grace. We don’t need to carry guilt, stay silent, or pretend we’re okay. The cross has already made a way for restoration.

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