"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." Ephesians 4:31
The manner in which we respond to circumstances is an outflow from what we nurture in our inner being. Our attitudes and feelings are influenced by the thoughts we allow to take root in our minds. Bitterness and anger thrive on thoughts of hurt. Thoughts of disrespect, rejection and discontentment are the breeding ground for brawling and slander. Negative thoughts of any kind is a recipe to brew toxic behavior, harmful to the individual and those in relationship with the person.
In order for relationships to be a healthy and to go the distance, a guard against toxic behavior must be diligently maintained. If not, the flow of love, understanding and forgiveness, essentials to nourish relationships will be backed up or slowly drip. Our vertical relationship with God as well as the horizontal relationships with others are in jeopardy due to the spread of toxicity. Anger towards people can turn into anger towards God or vice versa.There’s a plethora of reasons to cause negative thoughts to form in our minds. However, if they are not uprooted before they began to bloom, the efforts to get rid of toxic intensifies. The practice to keep a close watch on negativity entering our minds helps us to constantly rid ourselves of toxic behavior.
Cleansing ourselves of toxic behavior allows us to freely give and receive love . _ASA
Chronicles of ASA 