What Should I do When My Environment is Toxic?

CONVERSATIONS:

I like this quote I found on the internet attributed to a man named Nido Qubein:

“Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer only reflects the temperature of its environment . . . But a thermostat initiates action to change the temperature in its environment.”

This shows me that there are “Thermometer people” and “Thermostat people”. Thermometer people merely reflect whatever situation they are in. If times are cool, they’ll be cool. If times are lousy, they’ll feel lousy. If you’re mean, they’ll be mean, if you’re angry, they’ll be angry, if you fight, they’ll fight.

In contrast, “Thermostat people” are influencers who change the prevailing temperature. They are the agents of change.

Here are 3 useful reminders, whenever you’re in a toxic or stressful situation;

1. Toxic times need Thermostat people.

The book of Genesis talks of a young man named Joseph who found himself in many toxic situations in his life. See if any of these happened to you:

As a teenager: he was so hated by his brothers, they sold him as a slave in another country. They lied to his dad that he was dead, so no rescue or search attempts were made to find him.

As a slave: he was further falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail. Alone, abandoned, imprisoned in a foreign land, Joseph could have just curled up and died.

But Joseph had a thermostat attitude that made the best of every situation. As a slave, he was taught how to manage a household & how to relate with people. He also learned to stand up for his principles. As a prisoner, he practiced administrative skills in his harsh environment and how to allocate food rations to his fellow prisoners.

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2. God is present in Toxic times.

Do you ever wonder if God is even present or aware of what you’re going through? How do these verses encourage you?

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“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.”  Genesis 39:1-2

"Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him.” Acts 7:9

“. . . the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Genesis 39:21

3. Have faith that God’s Purposes will prevail in His perfect time.

It’s challenging to keep your head when everyone else is losing theirs. It’s easier to go with the flow rather than standing for what you believe in and being the unpopular person in the group. But God didn’t create you to be a thermometer kind of person. He made you to be a light in the dark, sometimes even a voice in the wilderness. Trust in his timing. He know what he’s doing.

Because of God’s grace under pressure, Joseph was divinely promoted by God to a position of favor and influence. His toxic experience became the training ground for his future success!

Jesus too, had the right perspective when he said “Father, not my will but yours be done.” Each day, let it be your conviction to glorify God no matter what situation you’re in.

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Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me be a Thermostat kind of person. Help my attitude not be dictated by my emotions, my circumstances, or my wallet. Give me the ability to see beyond my situation to see your heavenly perspective.

Most of all, let me be so filled by your words that your promises to me, my family and my country become the anchor for my soul that will keep me strong and steadfast.

You are a rewarder of the faithful, and I know you will never leave me or forsake me. In Jesus name, Amen.