Everyone that is presently in your life can’t go where God is taking you. This is a simple truth, but it is very challenging for some people to accept. It’s a fact of life that we become very comfortable with things the way they are; we’re not big fans of change. We’ve fostered relationships over the years, and we don’t want to accept the reality that some of them have been holding us back. One or more of these individuals were never meant to be permanent fixtures in our lives. They came to teach us a spiritual lesson or two, and then adios, but our tendency to cling got in the way. Instead of growing and graduating from the lessons, some of us lowered our standards, and allowed them to be equal to those who are bringing toxicity and spiritual immaturity into our lives.

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us that since God has given us such wonderful examples of everyday people doing extraordinary things by faith, we need to take their lead. Just like them, God tells us to strip off every weight that slows us down, like sin, because these things trip us up. They slow down our momentum and stamina and can cause us to miss our blessings. We don’t have time for that, because God tells us that He’s set a race before each of us, and we must run it with endurance. The way to win this race is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ. He’s the author and the finisher of our faith. He’s the Champion of faith! He demonstrated what a walk of faith looks like, and we should follow his example in everything we attempt to do.

What this means for us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and children of the Most High God is that everything we do matters. The places we go, the people we date, the relationships we build, and the things we say and do, it all matters. Our actions, choices, and decisions either help us run our race with endurance or they keep us stagnant. When we’re stagnant, we’re spinning our wheels and going nowhere fast. We’re expending valuable resources and losing precious time because our eyes are closed when it comes to the things and the people that are weighing us down.

2Timothy 3:2-6(NLT) tells us, “2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 6 They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.”

Many of us know the kind of women that 2Timothy 3:2-6 warns about. For some of us, these are our friends. We haven’t blocked access to our lives although we’re fully aware of the counsel of the Lord on what is and isn’t for our spiritual good. We have refused to face the fact that some people will hinder us from growing into who our Heavenly Father wants us to be. God loves everyone, and 1Timothy 2:4 tells us that He wants everyone to be saved, but the reality is that everyone will not be saved because they will not accept the Lord Jesus Christ. They reject the truth, and this means they cannot walk in agreement with those who love the truth.

God tells us in 1Thessalonians 5:22(NLT) to “Stay away from every kind of evil.” He tells us in 2Corinthians 6:14(NIV), “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” Why is God telling us not to do these things? Is it because He wants to limit our fun? Absolutely not! God made a more than abundant life available through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He doesn’t want to limit our fun. He wants to limit our association with evil. He is looking out for our well-being and knows that evil will severely impact our existences if we invite it in. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t tell us not to do things just for the sake of merely giving a directive. He tells us what to do and what not to do because He loves us and knows what is best for our lives.

So many of us have been praying for blessings that we deeply desire in our hearts. We’ve been waiting a long time, and we’re wondering why our blessings are delayed. God is not withholding them. We have blocked them ourselves because we have refused to block those who are keeping us from honoring God the way He requires. Some individuals are toxic to our spiritual health, and we must wake up and recognize this. He doesn’t want us hurting anyone’s feelings. It isn’t Godly to be rude or hurtful, but it is absolutely necessary to take a stand according to the example of Christ and refuse to team up with those who reject the power to make them Godly. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“When You Fail to Block Certain People Access”, written by Reverend Fran Mack. Edits by Kim Times and K. Stephens for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2023. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.