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Growth doesn’t stall because we lack Bible plans or good intentions. It stalls because we carry hidden baggage that chokes the very roots we’re trying to nurture. We kick off our Grow series by naming one of the most overlooked blockers in the New Testament lists: malice. Not mere anger—malice is the quiet wish for someone else to hurt. It hides in our daydreams of payback, in the thrill of the gotcha moment, and in the way our feeds train us to love outrage.
Ryan and Tim unpack why subtraction must come before addition in spiritual formation. You can add church, reading, serving, and still plateau if bitterness, envy, and deceit tag along. Together we trace malice’s path from hurt to unforgiveness to bitterness to hatred, then show how culture, teams, and algorithms amplify it. We talk road rage and text-thread bravado, the resonance that gets people elected, and the subtle ways we justify fantasies we’d never act on. The heart-level work starts with honest definitions and real examples you’ll recognize from your week.
Hope rises when we remember the battle is spiritual and the power is divine. We explore 2 Corinthians 10: demolishing strongholds, taking every thought captive, and refusing the lies that aren’t even ours. You’ll get practical practices: naming triggers, interrupting revenge scripts with prayer, filtering every thought through what honors Christ, limiting outrage inputs, inviting trusted friends into accountability, and journaling wins so you can comfort others with the comfort you’ve received. As malice loses its handle on your heart, the same habits you already practice start bearing real fruit.
Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck on the treadmill of trying harder, and leave a review with one takeaway you’re putting into practice this week. Your story might be the map someone else needs.

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