Communication is the Key

We talk about all different kinds of keys in our culture. Keys open doors and opportunities and unlock power or success. We even go so far as to tell our significant other “You have the key to my heart.” Something that has been brought to my attention repeatedly over the years is that communication is the key to life. Perhaps it could even be called the secret of happiness.

Without question, every single time there has been a problem in my marriage, it has been because of a breakdown in communication. The same goes for any friendship problem I've had, as well as most of my challenges with children. Lack of communication is also the source of stagnation in my spiritual life.

The first and best way to find an answer to any problem, is, of course, prayer. What is prayer? Communication with our Father in Heaven. If Satan can distract us from prayer in any way, he will try. I cannot count the number of times I've thought, Okay, time for morning prayer, and then on my way toward the spot where I was going to kneel, I have stopped to return an object to its rightful place, then seen the mountain of laundry waiting to be folded, then felt the pressure of the days activities and time creeping up on me, answered the phone and before I know it, I am in the van driving on my first errand, never having uttered a word of prayer. Needless to say, I pray a lot when I'm driving, with my eyes open of course.

I really believe two of Satan's best tools are distraction and lack of communication. The latter can be brought about in so many ways, including our own pride or feeling of hopelessness. But we need to remember that God is our Father. Do you think He would send us here without setting up a way that we could communicate with him when we need to? He wants us to pray to Him for help! Not just in generalities, but with specifics. If we pray specifically, He will answer us specifically.

And as far as communicating with other people, take courage! People are people and as long as you are being respectful, you can usually find that some misunderstanding has occurred, or that a person has much more depth to them than you previously thought. Communication brings the discovery that most of us do actually have good intentions and are doing the best we can. Most of us aren't trying to hurt anyone else. So, pray for humility and take the time and effort it takes to communicate! It is so worth it. Many times, it is the key that unlocks the door to happiness.