Sunday Soul Food: Ten Toes Down

“Keep moving forward, even when you don’t understand.”

That is the whisper for this Sunday Soul Food. As I sit with this new week, I realize how many times I have loved people unconditionally, only to find myself standing in a season where that same love and respect is not being offered back. There is a deep sting that comes when the very people you have supported, celebrated, and covered in prayer begin to treat your heart like it is disposable. But this is not the time to crumble, question your worth, or fall back into old negative thought patterns and coping mechanisms. This is the time to plant both feet - ten toes down - on what God says about who you are, even when your circumstances do not make sense.

When Love Isn’t Returned

When I do not understand why things are happening the way they are, I remember that God never asked me to understand everything - He asked me to trust Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

Leaning on my own understanding would have me replaying every conversation, trying to fix people’s behavior in my mind, or wondering what I could have done differently so they would treat me better. Leaning on God means I can release the need to solve people and instead focus on staying faithful to the path He is setting before me. It means I can keep moving forward, one obedient step at a time, even with tears in my eyes.

Refusing To Go Backward

There is a holy kind of stubbornness in refusing to go backward when life hurts. Paul captured it when he said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…”
Philippians 3:13–14 (NIV)

Pressing on does not mean pretending the pain isn’t real; it means choosing not to let the pain define the rest of your story. When people who once clapped for you now talk about you, when family members minimize your feelings, when long‑time friends suddenly grow silent, there is a temptation to go numb or to become who you used to be: resentful, reactive, shrinking yourself to keep the peace. Pressing on means you decide, with God’s help, “I will not go back there.”

Guarding Your Heart And Your Peace

I am learning that not everyone who has had a front‑row seat to my life deserves that seat forever. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Guarding my heart does not make me cold; it makes me wise. It means I can acknowledge when certain environments, conversations, or relationships are no longer safe for my spirit, even if I once poured everything I had into them. Sometimes the most loving thing I can do - for myself and even for others - is to step back, set a clear boundary, or, if necessary, change my environment entirely for the sake of my safety and peace.

If you find yourself in a season like this, hear me clearly: walking away from disrespect is not a failure of love. Scripture reminds us that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

Peace is not just a feeling; it is a form of protection. When I choose environments and relationships that honor the peace God is trying to give me, I am partnering with Him instead of fighting against His protection. That might look like saying less, leaving earlier, or even relocating entirely - whatever is necessary to keep my heart aligned with Him.

Standing Ten Toes Down In Faith

Standing ten toes down is not about pride; it is about firm faith. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

When I stand firm in faith, I refuse to let other people’s inability to love me well convince me that I am unworthy of love. I refuse to let gossip, manipulation, or emotional games rewrite the identity that God has already spoken over my life. Standing firm means I anchor myself in His voice: chosen, beloved, set apart, protected, and called - for such a time as this.

There is also a forward motion built into faith itself. “The Sovereign Lord is my strength… he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19 (NIV)

God does not just help me survive; He gives me the strength to keep climbing. Every time I choose not to retaliate, not to beg for someone’s approval, not to chase an explanation that will never come, I am taking another step higher with Him. I may not understand the “why” of this season, but I can trust the “Who” that is walking me through it.

Soul Food For Your Week

If your heart feels heavy as you read this, I want you to know that God sees every sacrifice you have made and every tear you have cried in secret. “God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete.”
Philippians 1:6 (CEV)

The disrespect of others does not cancel the good work God is doing in your life. Their choices might reroute your plans, but they cannot derail His purpose. You are still on schedule in His eyes, even if it feels like you have been pushed back to the starting line for the hundredth time.

So this is my Sunday Soul Food for the week ahead:

• I will keep moving forward, even when I don’t understand.
• I will not go back to old negative thought patterns and behaviors just because other people chose not to honor my heart.
• I will protect my peace and my safety, changing environments if I must.
• I will stand ten toes down in who God says I am - rooted, chosen, and deeply loved.

Prayer For The Week Ahead

Lord,
You see every place in my life
where I have loved unconditionally
and have not been loved the same in return.

You know the conversations I replay,
the confusion I feel,
and the temptation to go back
to old patterns just to ease the pain.

Today I choose to trust You
more than I trust my understanding.
Help me stand firm in the faith,
ten toes down on Your promises,
even when I feel shaky on the inside.

Show me clearly where I need boundaries,
when I need to step back,
and if I need to change my environment
to protect the peace You’ve given me.

Guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Remind me who I am in You
when others forget, minimize, or misuse me.

Give me the courage
to keep moving forward,
one step, one breath, one act of obedience at a time,
until I can see more clearly
what You were doing in this season all along.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

“When people do not honor the love you freely gave, do not go backward. Stand ten toes down in who I say you are, protect your peace, and keep moving forward with Me.”

With truth, courage, and grace,
Eugene 💘

EugeniasThought: Keep Rising and Shining beautiful souls!

Every word is a whisper of intention, carved in stillness and light.

🎧 Frequency Feature: Burn The Ships

“Burn The Ships” by for KING & COUNTRY carries the same conviction as this Sunday Soul Food: there are moments when God invites us to cut ties with old patterns, mindsets, and environments that no longer honor who He says we are. The song’s call to leave the shore and not look back mirrors the decision to stand ten toes down in faith, protect our peace, and move forward with Him - even when we don’t fully understand why this season had to look the way it does.

Weekly Editorial Rhythm

• Monday: Monday Morning Grace - a gentle start to the week with faith-centered encouragement
• Tuesday: Truth-Telling Tuesday - authentic reflections on living faith boldly
• Wednesday: The Midweek Mirror - a pause for spiritual reflection and self-compassion
• Thursday: Frequency Thursday - tuning into God's voice amid life's noise
• Friday: Follow Friday - exploring what it means to follow Jesus in everyday moments
• Saturday: Sacred Saturday - rest, reflection, and spiritual practices
• Sunday: Sunday Soul Food - nourishing reflections to ground your week ahead

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