Caution: Toxic Waste Inside

We all have them. Those places. Those people. That situation. That food. That temptation. The things that take us to a place of weakness. The situations that bring out the unforbidden, the worst in us. Here we are, chasing our dreams, being kind, loving on others, exuding joy, and then all of a sudden that certain person that always brings us down walks through the door. Or a conflict bursts into flames in our workplace and despite all our joy and strength, we crumble.

Crumbling may look different for all of us. Some of us may use angry or hurtful outburst, some of us may resort to gossiping and deflecting the pressure, or we may even run or cower in fear. But nonetheless these situations bring us to a place that we are not acting as we know we are created to by representing the goodness of our Lord and we are not bringing glory to His name.

These situations often leave us frustrated with ourselves. “I was doing so good, how could I resort back to old ways?” “I had gone so long without giving into this temptation, why now?!” Inevitably, we turn to blame and begin to put up walls around what we believe to be toxic.

Don’t get me wrong with where I am going to take this because boundaries are good. And recognizing that you are in an unhealthy situation is a huge step in gaining the strength to overcome these moments.But let’s take a look at this.

In Mark 7:14-20 Christ says…

“Listen to me everyone and understand this. Nothing outside you can defile you by going into you. Rather it is what comes out of you that defiles you.” After that he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” He asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them.” For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach then out of their body.”

So what does this mean? Does it mean that although people and situations can not be healthy for us they aren’t to blame for our defilement. Because that’s how we feel when we give into bad attitudes or temptation, isn’t it? Polluted. But what I am seeing in the word of God is that no matter our surrounding, no matter who walks in the door, it doesn’t have to penetrate our heart and create a negative outcome. It doesn’t have to pollute our souls and cause us to move forward in an action that isn’t pleasing to God. We have the choice once it is in us to decide how it should be stored or digested. If we take it in and process it as we are suppose to, we can digest it and allow it to exit like the waste that it is. On the contrary when we come into agreement with a lie that is clearly from the enemy and allow it into our hearts, then it will exit us as a product that is unpleasing to the will of God. This is when we act on our hurt, anger, and discomfort instead of our faith, kindness and love.

So whether something is toxic or not is determined within you. And when there is a malfunction in how we deal with the outside pressures in our life, we most likely store the pain, anger, and hurt we feel in our hearts, which is where we inevitably begin to see the next verses unfold in our lives….

He went on to say: “What comes out of a person defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come --- sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, ignorance, and folly. All the evils come from within and defile a person.”

These situations that push our buttons are definitely hard but they are also an opportunity to overcome. They are a chance to shine the light in darkness. They are a chance to honor God’s word. They are not truth and they are not in control of you. When they enter, don’t let them linger long. God calls us to come to Him with all our burdens & weariness (Matthew 11:28) and to cast our worries and anxiety upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).

We must take responsibility for the product of our heart by taking these character altering and disheartening situations and trusting the Lord to take care of them. We must be aware that not only will good flow from our heart but so will evil if we aren’t careful.

So here are four questions I want us to use this week when we feel like we’re not operating in our true identity so we can start beating defilement and walk and feel as the pure in heart that the Lord has called us to be.

1. What do I think triggered these feelings, thoughts, or behaviors?
2. How could I have processed things differently when I experienced those triggers?
3. What lies from the enemy have I come into agreement with?
4. What does God’s truth say about me?
5. Have I released my hurt, pressure, pain, or uncomfortable to the Lord or am I still internalizing it?

We can not control what happens around us, but we do have control of what happens within us. Your surroundings are just threats, the real toxins are created within us. Let’s not let our heart be a manufacture evil but of purity escaping those moments that make us feel defeated and disappointed.