Exiting Existing Negative Influences
Welcome to the rerouting harmful influences series on Legacy Living TODAY with Dawn Baggett, that’s me.
In this episode our focus is identifying and exiting existing negative influences that may lead to temptations, to getting derailed from your path, and hindering your progress. As mamas we’re careful to monitor the harmful influences that may impact our young children. As they get older, it becomes harder to do. What about ourselves? We aren’t immune from dangerous influences just because we’re adults.
If you think about it, it’s easy to recognize in others and in ourselves that knowing and doing are not the same thing. (How many times have you told your child the exact same thing? You know they know; they know you know they know; yet they still ACT as if they DON’T KNOW!)
The Bible confirms this human characteristic when in his letter to the Church in Rome Paul writes the following:
Romans 7:15-20
New International Version
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Whew! So what can we do to about the dangerous influences that pull us away from living the way we really want and sticking to our path of purpose?
I must qualify with the reminder that extrinsic influences are not the only culprit when it comes to temptations and resisting them. And even if it was possible to get rid of all negative influences, it wouldn’t solve our sin problem. Removing bad influences alone wouldn’t keep us on our paths.
So why would we make the effort to remove any negative influences at all then? As much as we can I think it’s our responsibility to be aware of, discerning of and to take action against the negative influences in our own lives that would increase and intensify temptations to sin, to stray, to stumble and to interfere with our path of purpose, in addition to preparing for the inevitable temptations that do come our way.
One area in which our guards are often down is in the area of entertainment. Now don’t hear me saying you shouldn’t have any fun! Fun and recreation, breaks from work and seriousness - - these are certainly important aspects to our lives. However it’s important to set boundaries, guidelines, perimeters around our fun and choose those things that aren’t full of negative influences. Your guidelines and mine might be different and likely are. But be discerning and plan ahead by setting your own guidelines for yourself, and if you have young children set guidelines for them, as to what forms or elements of entertainment and fun are off-limits. Know your boundaries and that makes it a whole lot easier to choose.
What other negative influences do you need to limit or remove?
Are there people you need to limit your time with? People who’s negative conversation and attitudes tend to drag you in too?
Are there recurring situations that bring along hard to resist temptations? How might you anticipate those and either avoid or mitigate them?
As you can see, it may take some real relective detective work to
As much as we can, I think it’s our responsibility to be aware of, discerning off, and take action against the negative influences in our own lives that would increase and intensify Temptations to sin, to stray, to stumble and to interfere with our path of purpose, in addition to preparing for the inevitable Temptations that do come our way.
One area in which our guards are often down is in the area of entertainment now don’t hear me saying you shouldn’t have any fun fun and recreation, breaks from work, school, and seriousness – these are certainly important aspects to our lives. However it’s important to set boundaries, guidelines, perimeters around our fun and choose those things that aren’t full of negative influences.
Your guidelines and mine might be different and likely are. But be discerning and plan ahead by setting your own guidelines for yourself. And if you have young children it's important of course to set guidelines for them. What are your pre-set boundaries for entertainment choices?
What other negative influences do you need to limit or remove?
Are there people you need to limit your time with?
People whose negative conversation and attitudes tend to drag you in to?
Are there recurring situations that bring along hard to resist temptation?
How might you anticipate those and either avoid or mitigate them ahead of time?
As you can see it may take some real reflective detective work to get a head of many of the negative influences that come into our lives or should I say we let into our lives and let have greater impact and influence on us than is necessary. Yes, even those that seem to have no way around them. 
I’m happy to talk further about how you can mitigate or avoid negative influences in your life. See the episode notes on the LLT blog to apply for your 1-1 coaching session.
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Post Adoption (Mom) Coach
“STANDING IN THE GAP FOR 2ND MOMS”
Publishing this podcast & companion blog is one way that I stand in the gap for second moms with similar challenges to what I’ve gone through myself as an adoptive mom.
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Through these avenues it’s my desire that many adoptive moms are able to close the gap and feel fully supported in a way that align with their Christian values and helps them grow in their faith while feeling more confident and empowered in their mom roles and beyond.
