Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
1 14 2026

Audio Version

They Care When It’s Too Late – Part II

Let’s talk about who God has called you to be for a moment.

How did the men or women in your circle do over the holidays?
When was the last real conversation you had with them?

Do you know the fight they’re in?

1 Peter 5:8 says:  “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Lions don’t attack herds.
They isolate individuals.
And silence helps them do it.

Men are often taught to suffer quietly.
To carry it alone.
To bleed internally and call it strength.
Many women are sadly picking up the same trait.

But Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us differently:  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  

If we don’t know the battles,
how can we pray effectively?
How can we stand watch?
How can we remind them they are seen and valued by the Church of Christ, or as family or friends?

Why do we stay silent?  And why it’s difficult.

  • Fear of Intrusion/Offense: We worry about invading someone’s private space or making things worse.
  • Self-Protection: Silence can be a survival mechanism, learned from childhood, to feel safe.
  • Overwhelm: Sometimes, we don’t know what to say, so we say nothing.
  • Unseen Struggles: People hide pain in “quiet rooms,” making their struggles invisible. 

How does one break the silence?      (Gently).        Pray first and ask God for wisdom.

  • Start Small: Offer presence, a text, a meal—things that don’t require deep conversation but show you care.
  • Listen More, Talk Less: Acknowledge their pain without needing to fix it.
  • Validate Their Experience: Let them know you see their struggle, even if they can’t articulate it.
  • Respect Boundaries: If they pull back, respect it, but leave the door open for future connection.  Be discerning.
  • Be the “True People”: Cherish and reciprocate when others show up for you in your quiet times, and be that person for others. 


Let’s not be so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly good.  Let’s be practical. The goal isn’t to force conversation but to create safe spaces where people feel seen and known, allowing them to share when they are ready. Your concern highlights that genuine connection that often requires stepping past our own discomfort to offer quiet, consistent support, making those private struggles feel a little lighter. 

Hear me. This isn’t about fixing people.  It’s about standing with them.  There’s a difference.

Romans 12:15 says:  “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Notice—it doesn’t say solve.
It says show up.

Some people only realize your worth, in your absence.
Only feel your value once the warmth is gone.
And by then… the heart has already made peace with the pain.

Not out of spite.
Out of survival.

But hear this clearly:

It is never too late to say, “I’m sorry.”
It is never too late to reach out.
as long as the door is still open.
And if it’s not…pray until God opens it!
But, whatever you do…don’t give up on them.

Jesus reminds us:  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9

Peacemakers go first.  Leaders go first. Family and friends are supposed to go first.
They risk rejection.
They step into discomfort.
They do risk rejection. But this isn’t about you!

So here’s the call today:  Martin Luther King said it best,  “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”

Reach out.
Listen.
Encourage.
Pray with them.  
Pray for them.

Stand with them until they’re strong enough to pick up the sword and shield again,
not just for themselves, but for the next person who’s struggling in silence.

Silence is NOT an option.
Love speaks.
Love shows up.

May the grace of God be with you—and with everyone who is struggling quietly tonight. May we be the people who reach out before the echoes of silence grow too loud. Amen.

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Matt West  Don’t Stop Praying