For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

 

Habits can bring life-giving structure to our lives. But a bad habit can keep generations stuck in cycles of brokenness and pain.

 

Bree grew up in a family that never discussed problems. When issues came up between family members, there was no talking it out. Relationships were often tense and relatives sometimes ignored one another for long periods of time.

 

One day Bree decided she didn’t want to live that way anymore. She tried to have a calm, honest conversation about a problem she was having with her mother–it was terrifying! At first, everyone in Bree’s family was angry at her for breaking the unspoken rule they’d followed their whole lives when it came to conflict. But it was the beginning of a new way. Today, the family looks back on Bree’s actions as the day they began backing away from their unwillingness to address conflict, learning to problem-solve together.

 

Major advancements in human history and yes–breakthroughs in families, start with brave trailblazers who are willing to re-evaluate how things have always been. God celebrates healthy habits, while showing us what it looks like to pioneer a new path when needed. The Bible book of Isaiah says, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).

 

We all have old, pathways–unexamined habits that aren’t serving us. Where do you know you need a new pathway through? You can ask God to help you evaluate any habit that’s become unhealthy and unhelpful. He wants to work in a new way in your life today.