A New Land: Ending Destructive Generational Cycles - Encouragement for Today - April 2, 2025
A New Land: Ending Destructive Generational Cycles
MELANIE SHANKLE
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“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
God specializes in taking the places in our lives that feel broken or barren and doing something new.
This is true when it comes to the generational sin and trauma that creeps into our relationships. Maybe today you are looking at your family’s history and seeing behavior that you don’t want to repeat as a mom, especially as your daughter faces the teenage years. God can give you the strength and courage to stop the cycle.
We see the power of both generational blessing and sin in Numbers 13-14. Moses had led the Israelites out of slavery, and God had provided for them repeatedly. When they reached the edge of the promised land, 12 men went to investigate. Only two of the men, Joshua and Caleb, came back believing they could take the land. The other 10 saw only obstacles. They lost sight of the faithfulness of God, letting their fear take over.
By nighttime, the Israelites were freaking out. They were literally holding the fruit of the land in their hands while doubting God and wishing they could go back to slavery in Egypt. God saw their unwillingness to trust Him and vowed that none of their generation would enter the promised land except for Caleb and Joshua. Because of their parents’ unbelief, the younger generation wandered in the desert for 40 years.
Joshua and Caleb had seen the same giants and heavily fortified cities as the other leaders, but they were looking through the lens of faith. They believed that God wouldn’t have brought them this far only to leave them now.
What an amazing reminder for us as parents! We can face our “giants” — or what may even feel like dragons — and help our daughters face their own dragons with faith and confidence. It starts with letting go of destructive beliefs that keep us stuck in the place we are being called to leave.
Some patterns become so ingrained in a family line that they seem normal until our eyes are opened. For most of my life, I knew that I didn’t come from a healthy family, but it took me more than 30 years to realize how damaging some of the behavior patterns were and how I could inadvertently hand them down unless I prayed for wisdom to stop the cycle.
Your family history doesn’t have to be your future. As God reminds us in Isaiah 43:19, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Ask God to stop the dysfunction and create a new legacy. He is your Provider and Protector who will guide you into a land of promise.
God, You are bigger than any dragons in my life or in my daughter’s life — past, present or future. Help me to see how You are doing a new thing in my generation and in generations to come. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Bestselling author Melanie Shankle offers a heartfelt — and aptly humorous — guide in her new book, Here Be Dragons. With deep insight and empathy, she shows how confronting your own dragons empowers you to help your daughter face hers.
ENGAGE
Learn more about New York Times bestselling author Melanie Shankle at thebigmamablog.com.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Here Be Dragons by Melanie Shankle. To celebrate this book, Melanie’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, April 7, 2025.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (NIV).
What new thing might God be doing in your family line, starting with you? Share your thoughts about today’s devotion in the comments!
© 2025 by Melanie Shankle. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
