The Cycle
By Lexi Cole Ellis
By Lexi Cole Ellis
And
whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17 (ESV)
Colossians 3:17 (ESV)
One
thing I’ve noticed one month into this parenting thing is the “cycle.” I don’t
know if it’s an actual thing. But more often than not, if Sloane doesn’t sleep
well in the morning, she gets overtired, then she eats more often…which makes
our feedings less effective…which makes her gassy and more reflux-y…which makes
her not sleep well. The cycle continues for a day, and then we get back on track.
Bad seems to lead to bad - - cycling over and over for that particular day.
This can be true for us too. Our bad decisions tend to also cycle. Bad choices, or sin, often lead to more bad choices. One affects the other, and it’s hard to stop or “turn the ship around” once we’ve begun down that path. One example in Scripture is King David. In 1 and 2 Samuel, David does a lot of good: he serves the Lord, does the honorable thing again and again and chooses the right thing time after time. After becoming King, we read about a bad choice that David makes in 2 Samuel 11:1. When he’s supposed to go off with his men to fight, he decides to stay home, skirting his responsibility.
This leads to a second bad choice. To put it tamely, David then has an affair with a married woman and continues with more sinful choices (including murder) in an attempt to keep his poor decisions a secret. Obviously, I don’t know David’s thought process, but I doubt he woke up one day thinking he’d murder someone! My guess is that he got there after repeated bad decisions, continuing down the path of sin. Later, there were consequences and pain for David’s actions. But there was also a sweet story of how David chose repentance, God gave forgiveness and grace, and He used David for great things.
The cycle of bad choices begetting bad choices isn’t exclusive to 2 Samuel. Even though it’s easy to continue in this cycle, it doesn’t have to be set in stone. While owning our consequences and making things right is difficult, it is possible. And, thankfully, Believers have been given the Holy Spirit to help convict us when we make the first bad choice - - if we choose to listen and live in step with God’s Word.
Today and every day, may we know God and ask Him to convict us when we make the first wrong choice, before it becomes the cycle.
This can be true for us too. Our bad decisions tend to also cycle. Bad choices, or sin, often lead to more bad choices. One affects the other, and it’s hard to stop or “turn the ship around” once we’ve begun down that path. One example in Scripture is King David. In 1 and 2 Samuel, David does a lot of good: he serves the Lord, does the honorable thing again and again and chooses the right thing time after time. After becoming King, we read about a bad choice that David makes in 2 Samuel 11:1. When he’s supposed to go off with his men to fight, he decides to stay home, skirting his responsibility.
This leads to a second bad choice. To put it tamely, David then has an affair with a married woman and continues with more sinful choices (including murder) in an attempt to keep his poor decisions a secret. Obviously, I don’t know David’s thought process, but I doubt he woke up one day thinking he’d murder someone! My guess is that he got there after repeated bad decisions, continuing down the path of sin. Later, there were consequences and pain for David’s actions. But there was also a sweet story of how David chose repentance, God gave forgiveness and grace, and He used David for great things.
The cycle of bad choices begetting bad choices isn’t exclusive to 2 Samuel. Even though it’s easy to continue in this cycle, it doesn’t have to be set in stone. While owning our consequences and making things right is difficult, it is possible. And, thankfully, Believers have been given the Holy Spirit to help convict us when we make the first bad choice - - if we choose to listen and live in step with God’s Word.
Today and every day, may we know God and ask Him to convict us when we make the first wrong choice, before it becomes the cycle.
GOING
DEEPER:
1. Take time to look at the story of Jonah. (Click HERE to read it.) Where do you
see the cycle?
FURTHER
READING:
Galatians 6:7-8; Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 John 1:9
Galatians 6:7-8; Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 John 1:9
Lexi’s family consists of her, her husband, Andrew, her
daughter, Sloane, and her dog, Calvin. She teaches sixth grade Reading and
Writing and serves with Children’s Ministries.
