1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 2: You're listening to everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written and read by Elizabeth Good, author 9 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 2: of Speak the Unspeakable. Today, Elizabeth offers a prayer for 10 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 2: generational freedom and forgiveness. To learn more about Elizabeth or 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 2: more about the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit Millionprayingmoms 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: dot com. There's a link in our show notes. After 13 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 2: a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: our families. 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: Ephesians fourth thirty two. Be kind and compassionate to one another, 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: forgiving each other just as Christ forgave us in Hebrews 17 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: twelve fifteen. See to it that no bitter root grows 18 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: up to cause trouble and defile many. There is a 19 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: quiet fear that many moms may carry. What if my 20 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: kids feel about me one day the way I feel 21 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: about my parents, not just disappointment, something deeper, The heavy 22 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: kind of judgment that follows you around like a shadow, 23 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: The kind that shows up in your tone, your reactions, 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: your stress, The kind that could spill into the people 25 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: you love the most. Here's what I've learned. Judgment is sticky. 26 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: If we don't deal with it, it does not disappear. 27 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: It looks for a place to land, and often without 28 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: meaning to, we pass it down. We may judge our 29 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: parents for what they didn't do, and then we live 30 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: with a constant fear that our kids will judge us 31 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: the same way. It becomes a loop, resentment behind us 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: and pressure in front of us. But generational freedom is possible, 33 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: not because we pretend our past was fine, not because 34 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: we excuse what hurt us. Freedom comes when we tell 35 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: the truth and then we choose forgiveness. So bitterness does 36 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: get a vote in our future. Forgiveness is not saying 37 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: it didn't matter. Forgiveness is saying it mattered, but it 38 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: will not control me. It is releasing the right to punish. 39 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: It is handing the case to God. And for moms, 40 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: forgiveness could be one of the greatest gifts we give 41 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: our children because it breaks the pattern of carrying anger 42 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: and unforgiveness like a family heirloom. Some of us they 43 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: have grown up with parents who did the best they could, 44 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: Others with parents who did real damage. Either way, judgment 45 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: could keep us tied to the past. It could keep 46 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: the story alive in a painful way. It keeps us 47 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: reacting instead of living with peace. Ephesians four thirty two 48 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: points us to the model God forgive us first. That 49 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: means we don't forgive because our parents earned it. We 50 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: forgive because we're choosing to live free. We forgive because 51 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 1: we don't want a bitter root to grow in us 52 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: and defile. Many moms understand this right away. What grows 53 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: in us does not stay in us. It touches our marriage, 54 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: it touches our friendship, and it touches our kids. When 55 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: we don't forgive, we overcorrect. We try so hard not 56 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: to be like our parents that we become anxious, controlling, 57 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: or exhausted. We parent from fear, or we could swing 58 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: the other way and just shut down. Forgiveness it steadies us. 59 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: It helps us parent from peace instead of pain. This 60 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: is one of the bravest things you could do for 61 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: your upline and your downline. You can say the old 62 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: pattern stops here, not with anger, not with speech, but 63 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: with a choice made in prayer. I release them God, 64 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: and I choose freedom for me and my children. Let's pray. Father, 65 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: you see my whole story. You see what I needed 66 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: and didn't get. You see what was done wrong, what 67 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 1: was missing, and what still hurts today. I bring my 68 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: parents to you. I release my judgment. I release my 69 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: need to replay the past. I release the inner courtroom 70 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: where I keep trying to get a verdict. Jesus helped 71 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: me forgive the way you forgave me. Pull out every 72 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: bitter root in my heart so it will not grow 73 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: and spread into my home. Heal me where I'm still tender. 74 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: Teach me to parent from peace and not from fear, 75 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: and please protect my children from caring what was never 76 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: meant to be theirs. Thank you that you are rewriting 77 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: our family story with grace In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. 78 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: Friend, it is not too late to join us for 79 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: our summer book club featuring the book When Mothering is 80 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: hard and no one sees by my friend Selene Roberts, 81 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 2: It's happening now through the end of July and we 82 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 2: want you to join us. Head to the homepage of 83 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: our website, Million Praying Moms dot com to find out 84 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: more and use the code book Club twenty for twenty 85 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 2: percent off your order from our mom Shop. Until next time, friends, 86 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 87 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 2: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 88 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.