As Christian women, we are called to live a life that honors God and reflects our faith in Jesus Christ. However, sometimes we can fall into toxic habits that hinder our spiritual growth and negatively impact our relationships with others. In this blog post, we’ll explore 30 toxic habits that Christian women should avoid, along with corresponding Bible verses that offer guidance and encouragement.
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Table of Contents:
Toxic Habits that Christian Women Should Avoid
- Gossiping – Proverbs 16:28 “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.”
- Negative self-talk – Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
- Comparing oneself to others – Galatians 6:4-5 “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”
- Holding grudges – Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
- Overthinking – Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Using People Pleasing As Toxic Habits
6. Procrastinating – Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
7. People-pleasing – Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
8. Jealousy – Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
9. Seeking validation from others – Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”
10. Being overly critical – Matthew 7:3-5 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Trying to Be Perfect & Never Wrong
11. Perfectionism – Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”
12. Being judgmental – Matthew 7:1-2 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
13. Putting oneself down – Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
14. Complaining – Philippians 2:14-15 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
15. Pride – Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Lacking Social Skills
16. Lack of forgiveness – Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
17. Selfishness – Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
18. Worrying – Matthew 6:27 “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
19. Disrespecting one’s body – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
20. Lying – Colossians 3:9-10 “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
Not Practicing Self-Care or Self-Love
21. Neglecting self-care – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
22. Being passive-aggressive – Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
23. Addiction to social media – Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
24. Overindulging in food or drink – 1 Corinthians 9:27 “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
25. Seeking revenge – Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Being Selfish & Not Helping Others
26. Ignoring the needs of others – Philippians 2:4 “not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
27. Refusing to seek help when needed – James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
28. Putting one’s faith on the backburner – Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
29. Being too materialistic – Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
30. Allowing fear to control one’s life – 2 Timothy 1:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
Breaking Free From Toxic Habits
Breaking free from toxic habits is a process that requires intentional effort and a reliance on God’s strength. Here are some practical tips for overcoming toxic habits:
- Identify the toxic habits in your life
- Confess and repent of those habits
- Seek accountability from a trusted friend or mentor
- Replace negative habits with positive ones
- Pray for strength and guidance from God
- Read and meditate on scripture that addresses those toxic habits
- Seek professional help if needed
In conclusion, as Christian women, we should strive to live a life that reflects our faith and honors God. By identifying and breaking free from toxic habits, we can deepen our relationship with God and positively impact our relationships with others.
I love this! These are all traits that we should all be more mindful of. Thanks for sharing.