Not every battle I face is loud. Some are signed in silence.
As an introvert, I’ve realized my biggest battles don’t usually happen in front of people. They happen in my head and heart—where thoughts swirl, emotions sit too long, and I can convince myself that silence equals safety. I don’t always say yes out loud. Sometimes, my yes looks like avoidance, overthinking, or agreeing with fear just to keep the peace.
This post is coming from a very real place. I’ve walked through seasons where I didn’t realize how much I had agreed with things that were slowly stealing my clarity, peace, and authority. I didn’t mean to. But silence can become a sneaky substitute for surrender, and it took me a while to see the difference.
Scripture That’s Been Sitting With Me
Two passages keep circling in my spirit:
“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” – Genesis 4:7
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.” – Luke 22:31–32
Both verses paint the same picture for me: The enemy wants access. Whether it’s sin crouching outside the door or the enemy asking to shake me up and tear me down—it’s about influence. Something is trying to get in and take over.
For the Leaders Who Don’t Always Feel Like Leaders
If you lead in any capacity—even if it’s just showing up for your people day to day—this is for you. Especially if you’re the kind who feels everything deeply, who thinks before speaking, who needs space before responding. That doesn’t make you any less of a leader. It just means your weight is carried differently.
I’ve had moments where I was leading but secretly wondering if I was still called. Times when I was encouraging others while internally questioning everything. That’s where the enemy tries to sneak in—not with a full attack, but with subtle whispers. The enemy doesn’t need you to fall publicly. He just needs you to agree silently.
Quiet Contracts I’ve Signed Before
Let me be honest about some of mine:
- Insecurity: “I’m not the one for this—I’ll just shrink back.”
- Pride: “I know what I’m doing. I don’t need anyone’s input.”
- Unforgiveness: “I’ll be cordial, but I’m done trusting.”
- Self-preservation: “If I stay quiet, I won’t get hurt.”
I didn’t call them contracts at the time. But looking back? That’s exactly what they were. I was giving space for something that didn’t belong.
What Sifting Feels Like (at least for me)
When Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat, I get chills. Because that’s not gentle. That’s shaking, breaking, sorting, exposing. And I’ve felt that. It’s:
- Feeling like everything’s getting stripped away
- Seeing relationships shift or end
- Questioning if I’m really called
- Wrestling with things I thought I already dealt with
And still—Jesus didn’t pray for the sifting to stop. He prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail. That hits different when you’re in it.
Breaking the Quiet Contract
If you’re reading this and realizing you’ve made some silent agreements too—here’s the good news: you can break them. I’m still learning how, but here’s what I try to do:
- Recognize where I let something in.
- Repent honestly—no fluff, just raw talk with God.
- Renounce it out loud—even if I feel awkward.
- Replace the lie with what God actually says.
- Recommit to standing in who I really am, not who fear says I am.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being honest and willing to tear up what was never meant to be signed in the first place.
Journal/Reflection Questions:
If you’re a fellow Loud Introvert, you know we like to think and reflect. So here are some things I’m asking myself:
- Where have I quietly agreed with something that doesn’t align with who I’m called to be?
- What have I let crouch at my door for too long?
- Is this a sifting season—and what’s being shaken off?
- Where has silence become a comfort but also a trap?
Final Thoughts
Sin crouches. Satan sifts. But neither gets the final say.
You and I? We still have agency. We still have prayer covering us. We’re still in this fight—with grace, with fire, and with the ability to tear up any agreement we never meant to sign.
Your Challenge Today: Take a quiet moment and ask God: “Have I signed anything in silence?” And if so, let’s rip that thing up together.
Let me know in the comments: Have you ever felt sifted? What helped you stay grounded in the process.
