https://odb.org/2026/08/10/hope-in-him-2
Lamentations 3:19–26 (NIV): 19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Because of his father’s alcoholism and mistreatment of his mother, Pablo left home when he was a teenager. He moved in with an uncle, graduated high school, married, and had three children. But sadly, Pablo began repeating the same destructive behavior he’d once fled. His own alcohol addiction and behavior began to tear his family apart. Soon, it was all gone—his marriage, family, job, and home. “My life was terrible, and it got worse,” he said. Finally he turned to a treatment facility for help. “I was in bad shape, and God opened the door for me.” One day after praying, he experienced God through the beauty of nature. Soon his youngest daughter noticed he’d changed, and reconciled with him. (Alyson Kieda, Our Daily Bread 10th August 2026)
In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), books are usually named for the first word or words in the text. As such, the Hebrew title for Lamentations is “How,” taken from verse 1: “How deserted lies the city.” Those who translated the Old Testament into Greek (the Septuagint) titled the book “Lamentations.” Both titles are apt. In many lament psalms, the psalmist’s cry is rooted in the phrase “How long, Lord?” (see Psalm 13:1). (Bill Crowder, Insight, Our Daily Bread 10th August 2026)
It’s not uncommon to see families that are broken ending up with children whose families are also broken. It’s tragic and really sad. I have a colleague whose mum had two failed marriages and coincidentally she is also into her third marriage. It’s like a trait that run through generations. This is somewhat similar to the father and son article a few days back – https://ronnielim.com/2026/08/05/like-father-like-son/, except that this is a negative social issue. Families of gamblers raising children who are gamblers and the trend continues down the family line. Or those involved in drugs or crime sort of inherited those influences from their parents. If you’re a child raised by a mum who needs to support her junkie habit by selling herself, it’s tough to know a life that is different. I’ve seen families involved in occultic practices, unfortunately some to earn a living driven by lack of choices, suffering the consequences of mental health and demonic harassment issues.
In the Christian world, we speak of these negative family traits as generational curses, a negative trait that travels along the bloodline like an evil spirit. If we were to revisit the story of the Aramean general Naaman, you will see that after Gehazi lied to gain one of the many gifts that Namaan brought for Elisha that the latter declined, Gehazi for hos greed and disobedience was inflicted with Namaan’s “leprosy” (tzara’at in Hebrew), for him and his descendants (see 2 Kings 5:27). Generational curse is thus recorded in the bible.
But a generational curse can also be scientifically predicted if it’s part of our genetics. For example, if we have a family history of diabetes or asthma or heart disease, we are more likely to be similarly inflicted, which is why the SOP for medical practitioners before treating us is to ask us of our family history of illnesses and sicknesses.
However, due to the power of the resurrected Christ, He is able to break those generational curses in the lives of those who believed in Him. It is debatable whether genetic illnesses may be broken (as in healed) but nevertheless we know God heals supernaturally. So even if some medical conditions are hereditary, God in His grace and mercy may reverse its effects. At least with advancements in the medical field, we are able to enjoy a better quality of life, say compared to 50 years ago if we are inflicted by a hereditary illness. Other generational curses like socio-economic situations are definitely reversible by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we come from a family of substance abusers, we can surely break free from such bondages. Occultic influences and chains need to flee and will be severed in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord as Christ has washed us white as snow from all our sins including the sins and curses of our ancestors! Spiritual bondages of the past will not live on as we sanctify our lives and purify our hearts by the blood of the Lamb!
Is there hope for our situation? Yes, there is hope. He is our hope and He will give us the breakthrough we are seeking. Commit it all to Him and present ourselves as holy and acceptable in His presence. We will be saved because of our faith! Amen!
