The Cycle

Ruthann, Jan, Brooke, and I started this blog in December of 2011. For me, this is about encouragement. It's about sharing Biblical insight with those who read.It's about speaking truth into the lives of others. It's about journeying with other women to become the beauty-full people God created us to be.

The passage we keep in mind for this ministry is Isaiah 61.

Isaiah 61:1-4,7-

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;

to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, 

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations...

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion and instead of disgrace

you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land

and everlasting joy will be yours."

Lets break it down.

This verse is about Christ. And it's about us. Christ is the binder, the freedom, the light, the comfort, the provider, the beauty, the joy, the praise, and the double portion. We WERE the broken, the captive, the darkness, the mourners, the grieving, the ashes, the mourning, the desperate, and the shameful.

What does it look when we are all those things? Broken, captive, ashes, shameful? 

Today I want to talk about the cyclical nature of those qualities. Think about your family, your past, or the families and past of those you're close with. It's very hard to pass on healing when one stays broken. It's very hard to pass on freedom when one continues to live in bondage. Its difficult to live beauty-fully when one is still covered in ashes. It's difficult to model joy when one is constantly mourning. And most of all, it's near impossible pass down grace when one lives in shame.

Good News for us-Christ came to break the cycle! 

In verse 4, "they will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations" 

If we accept Christ as our healer and freer and joy-giver and beauty maker....we can break cycles and live without shame and defeat.

When I look back on my family, in places, I see ruins. I see generations of shame and captivity. In my own past, I see cycles of bondage and darkness. Then I accepted Christ as my Savior. And I changed. My heart changed, my goals changed, and my direction changed. But it wasn't until I accepted Christ as my healer that I was truly and completely free from the cyclical damage of bondage and shame. Then I truly understood the weight of Christ's beauty.

His "double portion" broke my cycle. The cycle of generational shame ends with me because I'm embracing Christ for all He offers us: healing, freedom, joy, beauty, hope, and light. The inheritance that freedom in Christ leaves for us is everlasting joy (verse 7). 

Breaking the cycle is as simple as this: accept Christ as your healer. Accept his beauty. Accept his freedom. And everlasting joy is yours. And you can rebuild generational ruins. Make a decision today to be the one to start a new cycle: one of hope and healing, of joy and peace, of freedom and beauty.

Have a blessed weekend, 

Jill