Breaking The Cycle

Yesterday, our Pastor (Dharius Daniels) began a new sermon series entitled Breaking the Cycle. The concept of breaking any cycle is very interesting. If you do a Google image search on the word "cycle," you'll see a particular depiction that shows a circular image which contains arrows to indicate continuous flow of the cycle.

There are great benefits to cycles. Cycles by nature present a generally well-defined, refined, repeatable process that provides simplicity in the midst of a complex environment. For example, many of us create a morning cycle to ensure we do the necessary activities such as brush our teeth, wash our face, and put on ALL of our clothes...lol. I still have that nightmare of sleepily going outside without pants on...but I digress. haha. But there are times when we develop cycles that aren't necessarily good for us.

Sometimes we develop cycles that physically harm us (such as smoking, drugs, or alcoholism). Sometimes we develop cycles that impact us emotionally (depression, fear). Sometimes we develop cycles that impact our spirituality (lack of prayer and meditation time, habits of sin). Sometimes cycles are a product of our environment...and we know we don't choose how we grow up. The church mostly refers to this particular type of cycle as generational curses.

I appreciate Pastor Daniels because he's seen the difficultly of breaking these harmful cycles, and has shared practical (Biblical-based) steps to guide us in breaking these cycles. Allow me to share:
•  Acknowledge the Cycle – As we all know, the first step to making a change is acknowledging that something needs to change.
•  Identify the Contributors – Who or What is the trigger that sets me off? Really take some time here. Ask yourself if the issue you are dealing with is, in fact, really a result of a deeper issue. For example: you get angry every time you see someone in a happy relationship. You don’t necessarily have an anger issue here. Your issue is possibly residual hurt from a previous relationship, and anger is just your response to that hurt.
•  Identify What You Control – Once you list out the contributors to your issue, identify which ones you control and which you do not control. You can’t change other people. But you can change the people you surround yourself with.
•  Adjust Your Perspective – Things will come to break you.  Things will come to remind you of what you are trying to break. But you must develop a Philippians 4:8-9 mentality. Commit to thinking on the things that are good and right. Perspective is everything.
•  Retrain the Brain – The battle is mostly mental. You can put on new clothes and move to a new neighborhood, but if your mind is still back where you were, that is how you will respond. Retrain your brain to think differently. Romans 12:2.
•  Eliminate the Unnecessary – Get your best Donald Trump on and FIRE! those people or things who do NOT belong with the new YOU.

I hope these points bless you!  I will definitely be using this as a guide as I break certain cycles in my life.  

Bless you fam,

Marc
www.marcdanyell.com

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