Breaking Generational Curses

This is a subject I have been wanting to talk about for a while because it affects most people that I know. Studying about Abram and Lot this week for Sunday school compelled me to talk about it.

When I think about generational curses, I think of the bad things families pass down to each generation that affects them and, sometimes, hinders them. The things that get in the way of us living our best life.

For some, the curse could be the hunger for money and power. Each generation works to gain these things through any means possible, sometimes illegally, and they don’t care who they hurt. They don’t value morals or ethics, just what is beneficial to them.This can lead to things such as jail time, bad relationships, split families, etc. And, if not stopped, they can affect generation after generation.

For one side of my family, it was alcoholism. It was rampant in a few generations before me and it trickled down to me in my teens and early 20’s. I didn’t know when to stop when I drank. I would drink myself into oblivion and wake up regretful the next day. A lot of my reasoning for drinking was to numb my pain. Little did I realize, until later, that it sometimes just exacerbated the problems that I was already dealing with. The pain might have gone away during the drinking, but it always returned when I was sober. Once I rededicated my life to Christ, I realized that I couldn’t just cut back on drinking, I had to abstain because I couldn’t control myself. I’ve fallen off the wagon a few times since, but I’m resolved to never drink again.

In Genesis, we see Abram (later Abraham) take his nephew, Lot, with him to a place between Bethel and Ai. Both of them accumulated large herds, flocks and tents and they were outgrowing the region. Abram told Lot that they should separate to prevent quarreling between them, their herders and their close relatives. (Genesis 13:2-8)

Abram, wanting to be the peacemaker and not concerned with worldly things, told Lot to pick the land he wanted. Of course, Lot picked the whole plain of Jordan toward Zoar because it was well-watered like the garden of the Lord and the land of Egypt. Once he picked, the two men parted ways.

Although Abram could have pulled rank on Lot and have his choice of where to settle, it was more important to him to love his family and keep the peace.

Once Abram reached his land, God told him to look around and he would have all the land Abram could see. God promised to make his offspring as plenty as the dust. So, Abram pitched his tents near the great trees of Mamre of Hebron and he built an altar to the Lord. (Genesis 13:14-18)

You see, God made a promise to bless Abram because he was faithful and put his love of family over worldly possessions. But, as most know, Lot was greedy and he ended up losing everything-all of his possessions, his wife and his sons-in-laws. His greed would affect his generations to come. Generational curses at its finest portrayed there.

Maybe you’re battling generational curses that seem hard to overcome. The first step is to acknowledge them in your life then make a plan to start change. It all begins with you.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” Romans 5:18