Podcast Episode

Finding Freedom from Toxic People

About this Episode

Episode Summary

When you read the term “toxic people,” who comes to mind? A coworker? A family member? Someone at church? Maybe it’s a group of people who feed off of one another in the worst of ways. What makes someone toxic? What’s the difference between a toxic person and someone who’s broken and needs extra love? How do you know when it’s time to walk away from a toxic person? In this episode, our guest Gary Thomas will be leading us through a discussion of how to recognize and when to walk away from toxic people.

Episode Transcript

This episode has a downloadable transcript only.

Show Notes

  • “Walking away isn’t always a statement of failure; it’s a statement of strategy.”

  • If we let toxic people control our thoughts and focus, then we lose sight of the purpose God has for us.

  • “Here’s my voice, here’s my mission” . . .  and don’t let a toxic person distract you from that mission.

  • Women in their fifties will look back at the toxic people from their twenties and laugh at how insignificant those people have become in their lives.

  • “Gaslighting is when somebody makes you feel like you’re crazy when you are speaking the truth.”

  • “When you question your own sanity, they are destroying your foundation.”

  • “All toxic people are difficult, but not all difficult people are toxic.”

  • “Toxic people love to act in a toxic manner. Healthy people will occasionally act in a toxic way.”

  • “Walking away is actually an act of worship.”

  • “Toxic people often use toxic language. . . . They don’t want you to act like a Christian to please God, they are using your desire to please God as a weapon to control you.”

Download the Transcript of this Episode!

Links Mentioned

About the Guest(s)

Gary Thomas

Gary Thomas is the best-selling author of over 20 books including the topic of today’s show: When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People. Gary serves on the teaching team at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 25 years. They have three adult children and a granddaughter.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What do you think?

More Episodes

Episode #219
April 13, 2026
Have you ever asked a question in church or with a mentor and felt like it wasn’t received well? Anna Laura was in high school when she started asking tough questions within the church. The reaction to her questions led to the forging of a new path in her life as a single mom and entrepreneur. Join God Hears Her hosts, Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni as they learn the trajectory of Anna’s story and how God helped her to surrender her hurts and her doubts to him.
Episode #218
April 6, 2026
Are you the type of person that needs to know the plan before you commit to something? Do you find yourself saying no when you don’t know the details? Or are you always saying yes to any invitation? For anyone, following God’s calling often leads to unexpected opportunities. On this episode of God Hears Her, join hosts Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni as they learn from Brenda Palmer how saying yes to God can completely alter the course of your life.
Episode #217
March 25, 2026
When you think about Easter, what is the first thing you think of? Is it the women who were there, the faith of the disciples, or the richly layered way that Jesus showed up? When we celebrate Easter every year, it can be easy to forget all the things that are revealed to us through the story of Jesus’ resurrection and all the ways that this story matters to us every day. Join hosts, Elisa Morgan, Eryn Eddy Adkins, and Vivian Mabuni as they dive deep into Mark 15-16 to gain fresh perspective of the events of Easter.
Three friends smiling and embracing outdoors

Get Connected

Sign up to get early access to new book releases, podcasts, blog updates, and more!