Truth-Telling Tuesday: When “Protection” Was Part of the Plot

There is a special kind of heartbreak that comes when you realize the people you thought were covering you were actually part of the story that tried to break you. It is disorienting to wake up and see that what looked like concern was really control, what sounded like comfort was really gas-lighting, and what felt like protection was actually participation in the plot.

This is the kind of truth that Truth-Telling Tuesday sits with - the truth that not everyone who smiles in your direction is standing in your corner, and that God’s invitation is not to collapse, but to stand strong and independent in Him when the mask finally slips.

“Put not your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.”
Psalm 146:3 (NIV)

When “I Care” Was a Script

In my previous role, there was a coworker who seemed to go out of her way to show that she cared. She asked, she listened, she leaned in. When I shared the book/journal I created - something deeply personal that even described the early connection between us (without using her name) - she responded with reassuring words: “Things will work out with time.” It sounded comforting.

On the surface, it felt like support. Underneath, something else was moving. In our last two interviews together, she nearly sat on my lap, closing the gap in ways that sent a very specific message to anyone watching. She went out of her way to schedule long blocks of time to walk through booth setups and show prep -meetings I did not request, but simply attended to help, or so I thought. Looking back, it is clear I was unknowingly feeding into a delusional plan to paint me in a bad light, while she performed closeness and concern on cue.

I did not know then that the same person who acted fascinated by my project and my heart was also willing to stand in conversations that painted me as the problem. I did not yet see that her “concerns” would later translate into discomfort with me even mentioning her name in my videos, as if my story itself was a liability to her.

“Their speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in their hearts; their words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.”
Psalm 55:21 (NIV)

When God Shows You Who People Are

There comes a point in your awakening - when you rise toward your highest, healthiest self - where God begins to remove the filters. You start to see patterns you dismissed. You recognize how often “I’m just worried about you” really meant “I’m worried about how your truth affects me.”

You learn that:

• Some people will gaslight you because your clarity threatens their comfort.
• Some will “support” you as long as it is useful to their image, influence, or finances.
• Some will gladly receive your vulnerability but never truly protect it.

And when God shows you that a person you tried to protect was actually part of the plot, it stings. It hurts to remember the text I sent when I resigned, thinking I was shielding her from fallout - only to realize she was never the one in danger. I was.

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
Luke 8:17 (NIV)

Recalling Your Energy and Standing Independent in God

When manipulation comes to light, the temptation is either to collapse into self-blame or to harden into permanent bitterness. Truth-telling faith takes a different path: you recall your energy, your trust, and your identity back into God’s hands.

Recalling your energy looks like:

• No longer begging people to explain why they betrayed you.
• Refusing to keep rewriting the story to make others look better than their actions.
• Recognizing that your worth is not determined by who chose to use you and throw you away.

Yes, there are people who will drain you and discard you like trash once they have taken what they wanted. But that is a reflection of their character, not your value. Your call is not to become cold; it is to become wise. To stop handing over your power to those who have already shown you they cannot steward it.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”
Psalm 118:8 (NIV)

Walking Forward Without Their Cover

Truth-Telling Tuesday is about living faith boldly enough to say: “I see what happened now - and I will not pretend it was protection.” It is about choosing to:

• Let God be your covering when human “cover” turns out to be a setup.
• Set boundaries with people who have proven they are willing to benefit from your pain.
• Trust that God will continue to reveal what you need to know, when you need to know it.

You are allowed to outgrow the version of yourself that over-explained, over-shared, and over-trusted. You are allowed to walk into a new season where your first instinct is not to protect the people who hurt you, but to protect the calling God placed in you.

“Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16 (NIV)

Truth-Telling Tuesday Practice: From Used to Rooted

Let this week’s Truth-Telling Tuesday move from reflection to action with this practice:

1. Name the betrayal clearly.
   Write, in honest words, what this person did or allowed to be done. No softening, no spiritualizing - just truth on paper.
2. Separate your worth from their choice.
   Underneath that description, write: “This is what they chose. This is not who I am.” Pray, “God, anchor my identity in what You say about me, not in how they handled me.”
3. Recall your energy back to you.
   Close your eyes and say, “I call back my time, my trust, my creativity, and my emotional energy from this situation. Lord, place it back into my life, cleansed and redirected.”
4. Ask for upgraded discernment.
   Pray, “Holy Spirit, upgrade my discernment. Help me see red flags earlier, feel Your checks in my spirit faster, and listen when You nudge me to step back.”
5. Choose one new boundary.
   Decide on one concrete boundary for similar relationships going forward - how much you share, how quickly you trust, or how you respond to “concern” that does not match behavior.

Truth-Telling Tuesday Prayer

Jesus,

You know every detail
of the conversations,
the meetings,
the texts,
and the quiet decisions
that were made about me
without me.

You saw when I trusted people
who were never truly protecting me.
You saw when I tried to shield them
from consequences
while they were willing
to stand in rooms
that misrepresented me.

Today, I choose truth.
I will not call manipulation “care.”
I will not call gasl-ighting “concern.”
I will not call betrayal “misunderstanding”
just to make others comfortable.

Call my energy back to me, Lord.
Return my focus, my creativity,
my courage, and my voice.
Root my identity so deeply in You
that no one else’s opinion
can define my worth.

Give me wisdom
to see people as they are,
grace to release what I cannot fix,
and strength to walk forward
without their cover
and without their approval.

Teach me how to stay soft-hearted
yet strong in spirit -
independent in You,
guided by Your truth,
and bold enough
to live an honest life
no matter who misunderstands it.

You are my Defender,
my Witness,
and my Protector.
Lead me into the next chapter
with clear eyes,
clean boundaries,
and unshakable faith.

Amen.

With truth, courage, and grace,
Eugene 💘

EugeniasThought: I truly hope this was worth the heartbreak. How do you mishandle a pure heart? The enemy will corrupt everyone around you as long as it hurts you not caring about the ones they are ruining in the process.

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

🎧 Frequency Feature: Fix You

“Fix You” by Coldplay sits right in the tension of this week’s Truth-Telling Tuesday - the ache of being hurt by people who said they cared, and the longing to be truly seen and mended. The song becomes a backdrop for remembering that no human “fixer” can be your foundation, and that even when others use, mislabel, or discard you, God is the One who meets you in the dark, restores your heart, and leads you into a stronger, clearer version of yourself.

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

Your Journey Starts Here

Many have asked during my TikTok Lives how to begin their personal or spiritual journey. So far, I've explored and mapped the first three stages for those seeking alignment - the awakening, the journey inward, and the path forward.

These stages have brought profound clarity, and I'm grateful to share what I've discovered along the way.

There are still a few details unfolding, but trust that everything is aligning in its own time - and you'll be the first to know when it's ready.

Remember, this is self-love being transmuted into art; growth takes time, and you can't rush an actual journey, beautiful souls. In due time, all the right energy falls into place. Just have faith. Hold the vision.

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Explore my Speak Your Truth and Frequency Collections - curated resources to support your authentic faith journey and help you tune into God's frequency in daily life.

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May you move at the pace of peace this week and trust the rhythm that is uniquely yours.