#BREAKTHECYCLE (feat. Jonathan McReynolds' "Cycles")

On January 26th, Jonathan McReynolds released "Cycles," a track featuring DOE (formerly of the gospel family group "ForeverJONES), from his highly-anticipated live recording Make Room, available March 9th (pre-order here). After listening to this song, the only cycle I don't plan on breaking is, well, listening to this song. If you're at all familiar with Jonathan's music, you know he's a lyrical genius, and this song definitely lives up to that reputation. After a killer opening run, the song begins:

Didn't I conquer this last year?

Tell me what I missed, 'cause I fear

That it's comin' back up again

Must be something I ate

Some song, some show, some hate

Jonathan McReynolds - Make Room (2018) / Amazon

We all have cycles, things that we deal with over and over again. The world often causes a proverbial reflux in us. Just when we think we've got that situation/person/place/thing down, he/she/it comes back up with a vengeance, triggered by memories associated with things we encounter in our every day lives: songs we listen to, shows we watch, etc. Whether internal or external, the fight against the cycle sometimes feels like a never-ending battle.

The first verse continues, "The devil wants to extend the game, free throws / And when it ends, he wants to make the sequel." I'll let Jonathan explain that "free throw" metaphor himself. He broke it down in a clip on his Instagram:

A post shared by Jonathan McReynolds (@jonmcreynolds) on Jan 30, 2018 at 4:42pm PST

Basically, the point of the "free throw" distraction is to "throw" you off course. If Satan had it his way, the cycle would never end, and when it finally does, he tries his best to create a part two that seems ten times worse than part one. "Cycles"'s hook reveals the enemy's secrets, "See, the devil, he learns from your mistakes, even if you don't / That's how he keeps you in cycles..." Satan keeps a track record of our weaknesses. He pays close attention to what entangles us and sets traps that are almost guaranteed to catch us every time...unless we make a conscious decision to break the cycle.

Break The Cycle 4-Day Challenge flyer / Married and Young

If you feel like you're going in circles, stuck in a hamster ball of constant disappointment, doubt, insecurity, and anything else that is not in line with God's plan for your life, I'm here to tell you that you don't have to stay in that rut. You don't have to be continually ensnared in the enemy's traps. There is a way out! I'd like to personally invite you to join me for the FREE 4-day #BREAKTHECYCLE challenge hosted by Married and Young. Change starts with you, and it starts a chain reaction! To learn more about the challenge, click here.

Let's break some "Cycles" together!