In our culture, there are many phrases that may not be fully understood, or may be used as rough brush labels for people who have certain personality traits or behave in certain ways. There is. You have to be very careful how you use these phrases. This is to ensure that these phrases are not overused or misleading anyone.
One of these phrases refers to someone being toxic.
What are the qualities of a toxic person?
I have researched behaviors that might be seen in the daily lives of people who are considered toxic.This is not exhaustive, but I have put together a short list to read and remember:
-The person may have a victim mentality and always feel like they are being treated badly or are being treated unfairly.
-Thrives on gossiping and slander, speaking negatively about others, often spreading lies and ruining others’ reputations.
-They may be people who don’t know how to treat others affectionately, and may even be emotionally or physically abusive in some way.
-There is a level of control over people’s lives, and you may feel like you can’t make your own decisions, think what you want, or do what you want.
– They are very manipulative and will do whatever it takes to get you to do what they want you to do.
-They are critical and negative towards others and are unable to see anything positive in others or situations.
– You like to have things your own way and often disrespect those around you in order to get what you want.
-They can relate to a lot of sarcasm. If you get their attention, they will make you feel too sensitive.
– May have an addictive personality, using substances or bad habits to meet unmet needs. They may try to draw you into an addiction to make them feel good about what they are doing.
When you are with someone who has all or some of these traits, you will probably walk away feeling stressed, anxious, and generally negative emotions. There are many reasons, and those reasons are probably too numerous to go into detail in this article. I dare say they are incompetent people. They may be in survival mode and probably don’t even realize how they behave towards others!
How to Pray for Toxic People:
The first (and best) thing we can do with people exhibiting toxic behavior is pray for them.
God is in the business of opening people’s eyes and changing them. Only God can change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Pray that He will notice their sinful behavior and change them.
“And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit to put in you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”Ezekiel 36)
Pray that God will show them what is behind their actions. Ask God to reveal any motives, traumas, or wounds that may be causing you to act in ways that may be viewed as toxic. Ask him to show them what is going on in their minds.
“The heart is most deceitful and sickest of all. Who can understand it? give.”(Jeremiah 17:9-10)
“Don’t you know that what goes into your mouth goes into your stomach and then leaves your body? But what comes out of your mouth comes out of your heart…” (Matthew 15)
Pray that they will be open to loving conflict from you and other devout believers.
“If you teach a wise man, he will become wiser, and if you teach a righteous man, he will increase his knowledge.”proverbs 9)
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. I got a brother.” (Matthew 18)
“Brothers, if anyone sins, you who are spiritual must restore him with a gentle spirit. and carry out the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6)
You must relate to toxic people in a biblical way:
After confronting them and paying attention to how they behave, be prepared to bring in other devout believers if the person doesn’t listen to you.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. got a brotherMatthew 18)
You may need to walk away from a relationship with someone who has a toxic nature, but as a believer, it should be a last resort. There is room to protect yourself and follow biblical principles in how much time you spend with them and whether or not you let them be your “companion.”
“Don’t get me wrong. A bad company ruins a good character.”1 Corinthians 15)
“Those who walk with the wise will become wise, but the companions of fools will be harmed.”proverbs 13)
“Don’t make friends with an angry man, don’t associate with an angry man, learn his ways and don’t get caught in the trap.”proverbs 22)
We need to prayerfully consider how we handle all relationships, use God’s Word as a guide, and keep in mind that we are all sinful human beings. we’re not going to be perfect. Toxic behavior is a matter of the heart, and we can all exhibit these behaviors if we are not in fellowship with God.
No one has been raised in a perfect home, experienced a perfect relationship, or escaped from a situation that hurts or causes trauma. Remember, we treat “toxic people” in our lives the way we would like to be treated if they behave this way due to past experiences. .
We need each other and God uses us in each other’s lives to help us understand the areas we need. That’s how the body of Christ works.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Wavebreakmedia
