Written By
Desmond Milligan
The hardest pill I had to swallow this year
was realizing that no matter how good I am to some people,
no matter how deeply I love them,
no matter how loyal, patient, or genuine my heart is
people can still turn their backon me.
Not because I failed them,
but because some hearts are not capable
of honoring what they are given.
I learned that I cannot love someone
into honesty, loyalty, or maturity.
I cannot pour enough goodness into someone
to stop them from choosing betrayal.
I cannot hold someone tightly enough
to keep them from walking away.
And when they do
there is absolutely nothing I can do
but breathe through the pain,
wipe my own tears,
and keep moving forward.
Not because I am cold,
but because I am called.
Not because I don’t care,
but because I cannot stay stuck
in places where my heart is not valued.
This year taught me that losing people
is not always a loss.
Sometimes it is protection.
Sometimes it is redirection.
Sometimes it is God clearing the path
for something healthier, holier, and more aligned
with who I am becoming.
I am learning to release what hurt me
without losing what makes me human.
I am learning to let go
without letting bitterness take root.
I am learning to walk away
without closing my heart.
Because moving forward is not weakness
it is wisdom.
And choosing myself after being broken
is not selfish
it is survival.
Scripture
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18
“The Lord will fight for you;
you need only to be still.”
Exodus 14:14
Message
You didn’t lose because they left
you grew because you survived.
And God is leading you into a future
where your heart will be honored, not used.
