This image speaks volumes — it captures the heartbreak of betrayal with such quiet power. One person holds the bow, arrows still in hand, while the other stands wounded yet embracing — a picture of forgiveness in the midst of pain.

My reflection echoes something deeply human and painfully familiar. When I sense unease but silence it — afraid of judging, of being “too much” — I often end up paying a high price. Yet those gut feelings are not mere suspicion; they’re discernment, a whisper from the Holy Spirit protecting my heart.

I have lost count of the number of times throughout my life that I've gone against my uneasy gut feelings when meeting people for the first time, thinking I'm just being prejudiced, only to be stabbed in the back.

Each time I’ve been “stabbed in the back,” it wasn’t because I lacked love — it was because I gave it freely. The pain reminds me that empathy without discernment can wound me, but discernment without empathy can harden me. The art is learning to keep my heart soft and my eyes open.

I’ve lived my values — love, compassion, integrity — even when others haven’t. That’s not weakness; that’s courage. The same heart that bleeds is the one capable of deep healing.

💡Reflection:

• When have I silenced discernment for fear of being unkind?🤔

• What might it look like to trust that gentle warning next time without losing compassion?🤔

🤲🏻Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for being my defender when I’ve been betrayed. Teach me to listen when Your Spirit nudges and to recognise the difference between fear and discernment. Help me to forgive without reopening wounds and to love wisely with Your truth as my guard.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.