When the angel of the Lord called Gideon, he was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress, trying to hide the grain from the Midianites (see v. 11). That’s interesting, because God was about to use him to destroy the forces of Midian and liberate Israel. But before he could do so, there were a few family dynamics to be dealt with – like the altar his father built to a false god called Baal. It had been in the family for years. So God said, ‘Pull down your father’s altar to Baal…Then build an altar to the Lord your God’ (vv. 25-26 NLT).
Understand this: things like anger, addiction, abuse, and affairs may be part of your family history, but they don’t have to be part of your future. Not only will God heal your heart and hurts, He will use you to heal the hearts and hurts of your children.
The generational rubbish can stop here and now. You don’t have to give your kids what your ancestors gave you. Bring it out into the open and lay it before the Lord. Revealing leads to healing. And if having a mature Christian counsellor helps, get one! ‘Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think’ (Romans 12:2 NLT). No, it won’t happen overnight. Damage done to you in the formative years of your life will take time to heal, and God will work with you day by day until He has made you whole. But let the healing begin.
Rise up in faith, take control of your life, and declare: ‘It ends with me, and it ends here and now.’
