One of the greatest tests of your faith will be how you respond to the people who mishandled you. Because girl, God saw every bit of it. He saw the disrespect you endured in silence. He saw the betrayal that pierced deeper than you ever admitted. He saw the deception, the manipulation, the conversations held behind your back, the moments they mishandled your heart and then expected you to continue extending grace as though nothing had happened. Grace does not require you to remain connected to dysfunction. Loving people as Christ commanded does not mean repeatedly placing yourself in environments where your spirit is dishonored, your peace is disturbed, and your boundaries are ignored. You can forgive and still separate. You can pray for them and still remove yourself. You can release bitterness without reopening the door. You can wish them well and still understand that they no longer have permission to mishandle you. Do not allow somebody else’s lack of character to corrupt the character God is developing within you. Let God handle the hidden conversations. Let God handle the false accusations. Let God handle the betrayal. Let God handle the injustice. You do not have to destroy your peace trying to prove what God already witnessed. Sometimes the greatest demonstration of spiritual maturity is having every reason to retaliate and still choosing righteousness.