One of the hardest truths to accept is realising that the way I care is not always the way others care back. I am genuine by nature. I give fully. I show up even when I am tired. I help even when I am hurting. For a long time, I believed people noticed. Many did not.

Comfort settled in where gratitude should have lived. Effort became expected. What I freely chose to give was quietly treated as something owed. That moment, tender and sobering, became my wake-up call.

So now, I steward what God has placed in my hands. I protect my energy. I no longer chase. I do not remind anyone of my worth. I step back with grace, not bitterness. Wisdom has taught me that when someone shows they cannot value what I carry, I do not offer that sacred part of myself again.

This is not hardness of heart. This is holiness of boundary. Love remains, yet access becomes intentional. Care continues, but it flows where it is received with reverence. The heart God healed is not careless with itself anymore.

God never asked me to pour endlessly into places that refuse to honour the vessel. He invited me to walk in truth, discernment, and peace. Stewardship is not selfishness. It is obedience.

💡 Reflection

• Where have I been giving from obligation rather than freedom 🤔

• What boundaries is God inviting me to honour in this season 🤔

• How can I protect my heart without closing it 🤔

🎺 Affirmation

I am allowed to step back with grace.

My worth does not require explanation.

What I give is a gift, not an entitlement.

God honours my discernment and guards my heart.

🙌 Prayer

Lord, thank You for the tenderness You placed within me and the wisdom You are growing in me. Teach me to love without losing myself, to give without striving, and to set boundaries without guilt. Guard my heart as I honour You with how I steward it. Lead me into relationships marked by mutual care, respect, and grace. I trust You to restore what is holy and release what no longer serves Your purposes in my life.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.