December 13
Breaking
the Cycle
"Start children off on the way they should go. Even when they are old, they will not turn away from it."
Proverbs 22:6 (NIrV)
Finley had sworn he would never be like his father. Growing up, he had lived under the shadow of a man who believed discipline meant shouting, that love was shown through tough lessons rather than tenderness. Nothing Finley did was ever good enough. His grades? Not high enough. His sports performance? A disappointment. His dreams? Foolish. He learned to keep his head down, to brace for the criticism that always came.
Now, he was a father himself. Two boys, ages six and ten. And without realizing it, he had become the very thing he despised.
It hit him one evening after a long day at work. His oldest, Ethan, had spilled juice on the carpet. A mistake—nothing more. But Finley’s voice thundered through the house before he could stop himself. Ethan flinched, his little hands shaking as he tried to clean it up, muttering “I’m sorry, Dad, I’m sorry.”
The look in his son’s eyes gutted him. It was the same look Finley had given his own father years ago. Fear. Defeat. The belief that he would never measure up.
That night, Finley sat alone in the living room, staring at his hands. God, what am I doing? He had promised to be different, yet here he was, carrying the same pain into the next generation. He felt sick.
The next morning, he did something he never thought he would do—he reached out for help. He found a counselor, a Christian fatherhood group, and most importantly, he started praying. Not the quick, empty prayers he used to say, but real, raw ones. God, help me. I don’t know how to be a good dad. Show me how to love my boys the way You love me.
It wasn’t an instant fix. There were still days he messed up, moments when anger crept in. But now, he caught himself. He apologized to his kids when he was too harsh. He listened more. Hugged more. Spoke words of encouragement instead of criticism. And slowly, he saw it—his boys’ eyes filling with trust instead of fear.
The cycle was breaking.
Prayer:
Father, I don’t want to carry the mistakes of the past into the future.
Help me to be a parent who loves, guides, and nurtures like You do.
When I fall short, give me the humility to change.
When anger rises, replace it with patience.
Teach me to show my children the grace You have given me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
