How can I retain my spirituality even if my environment is generally toxic all the time?
First, you need to be real with yourself and understand what you really mean by toxic and the degree to which it is toxic. Are you being physically assaulted? if yes you need to get out of that environment if you can! don’t wait until they kill you. Are you being sexually molested? if yes, seek help. report the issue to someone who can help you. Jesus says to be gentle as a dove and wise as a serpent in our relationships with people.
Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
However, if it is a matter of the people in that environment being a sinful influence on you, there are a few things that you can do. The first piece of advice I will give you is to leave that environment if you can, or try to find a healthy environment that you can be a part of from time to time. Most times, it is the people around you that determine if the environment is toxic or healthy. So one thing you can do is create a healthy environment for yourself. You can plug in your headset and listen to an audio podcast or music while you focus on your work if it’s an office. You can join the fellowship and form friendships with serious-minded colleagues if it’s a school. Try as much not to spend too much time interacting with a toxic environment. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you can influence them when you truly can’t. So keep a distance from them as much as you can. Also, if the toxic environment is your home, develop a culture of prayer. Praying can bring the hand of God to supernaturally intervene in the situation.
Overall, you need to focus on fanning up your spiritual fervency. It is in such a situation that the scripture “pray without ceasing is applicable”. You need to deliberately build your spiritual strength through prayer. A typical example of this is Daniel who had a fervent and consistent prayer life in Babylon, which helped his conviction to be so strong that he became a major influence in a toxic environment rather than being influenced.
Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
One thing you can learn from Daniel here is that he stayed in control of what he fed his body. In the context of our discussion, you can stay in control of what you feed your mind, even in a toxic environment. You can choose not to feed on what others are feeding on.
Daniel 1:11-13: So Daniel said to [d]the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”
Daniel knew that feeding on the right diet would produce a healthy resultant effect on his body. Likewise, if you feed your mind with healthy information you will be able to overcome the influence that comes with a toxic environment. This is why your background does not determine your destiny; you determine if you will fulfill your destiny or not against all odds. Your humble background doesn’t automatically disqualify you from fulfilling your glorious destiny.
Daniel 1vs15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.
The miracle that happened was that Daniel came out ten times better than the others who gave in to the influence of the negative environment. There was a time in 2020 when a friend tried to introduce me to cybercrime. I almost yielded because I really needed money to boost my business but because I fed my mind with the word of God I was able to say no. And just less than 3 years from then, I am enjoying a prosperous life as a result of God’s blessing that adds no sorrow.
So I want to encourage you that that toxic environment is only a temporary phase of your life. It is too temporary for you to let it get in the way of your destiny fulfillment.
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