Time to Detox by Rev. CeCe Jackson
As we begin our sharing today, I want to be clear about the definition that we will use for the word toxic. In brief, to be toxic or toxicity, (the act of being toxic), implies that something is poisonous or emitting a harmful substance that can prove to be detrimental if one comes in contact with, and/or ingests it. So let's look at some life examples:
Just because someone buys you a meal does not mean you are obligated to sleep with them, (trust I wanted to be more graphic)! If a few dollars for a meal requires the compromising of your virtue before you even know their middle name, family history, educational accomplishments, hopes, dreams or goals. You are entering into a toxic relationship!
If you have people around you that are always borrowing money, expecting you to pay when you go out, borrowing clothes, ideas, cars, books, food, etc., and when you need them they are never around, don't have time for you, and full of excuses when you need them. You are in a toxic relationship!
If you are involved in ministry where you are always consistent, always working, always sacrificing your time and talent, always sowing seeds, but when you need your leadership, they're too busy to return a call, send an email, do anything beyond speaking to you in service. You are in a toxic relationship!
I really could go on, but I'm hoping by now a pattern has emerged on how you can rate some of the relationships in your life! Keep in mind, that most times, toxic agents come with warning labels and/or signs that we chooses to ignore, in the hopes that the toxicity levels will not negatively impact us the way it has affected someone else. Please stop playing this game in your own mind!
You are worth more, than to compromise yourself by exposing yourself to toxins that can prove harmful to your life! Choose wisely the people and the things that you allow in your space. If there are things that must be dismissed, don't feel bad about doing it! Never settle for less than your heart’s desire when it comes to the people you will allow to occupy intimate spaces in your heart, mind and spirit!
I'm going to leave you with your thoughts on this.....a few years ago while working for a local law enforcement agency; they were concerned about packages being sent to us that could contain toxic agents! Although they were confident that they had 99.999% eliminated any potential threat they ran a few drills of what would happen if there was an accidental exposure! First, any clothing that we had on would be burned. Special detoxifying agents would be used to cleanse us thoroughly. We would be put in a sterile environment, monitored, and observed until there was no sign that the toxin has caused any harm. There are some things in your life that have been exposed to toxins that are harmful. Start gathering those things and roast some marshmallows as you commit them to ashes to ashes and dust to dust! Cleanse your mind, body and spirit of those things that may have attached themselves to you. For the record, the blood of Jesus is the absolute best cleansing and restoring agent you can find! We used to sing a song, call and response that said, “What can wash away my sins, what can make me whole again?” The question was answered, “Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Now once you've been cleansed, you have to cleanse your environment, and make it sterile. Start deleting numbers, un-friending people on Facebook, start deleting Instagram accounts, and shutting down Twitter. If folk don't understand, you really don't have to explain; but if you chose to, let them know you're just doing some Spring cleaning! In your new clean space, lift your hands, ask God to create in you a clean heart, and renew in you a right spirit! Finally, ask God for the Holy Ghost to observe you, correct, keep you and warn you of when toxic things are in your space! Ask God, that as soon as anything toxic approaches your space, to alarm bells and whistles to go off so that you immediately recognize toxic agents camouflaged in harmless packages!
Your goals are too great, your potential and promises too prestigious, and your future to fantastic to be delayed by toxic relationships! Get rid of them now!
Selah & Shalom