Facing FatherhoodSample

OVERCOMING "DADDY ISSUES" BY EMBRACING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

Many men face challenges and struggles stemming from the relationships they had with their earthly fathers - and that in turn can affect their perception of God as their loving Heavenly Father. As parents, we don't want to pass on those complicated issues to our children. In this study, we will explore the transforming power of God's love and discover how we can experience His healing in our lives. Today's Bible study is focused on 1 John 3:1-3, where we dive into the topic of our "daddy issues" and how we can find healing and restoration through a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

READ

1 John 3:1-3 NLT
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

REFLECT

Understand the Father's Love

• Think about the phrase "See how very much our Father loves us." What does it mean to you? How is it different from your past experience or view of fatherly love?
• Write down any barriers you may have in experiencing the love of God the Father and then share those with God in prayer.
  

Identify our Identity

• One of the core foundations of the Christian life is that we would find our identity as “God’s children.” What privileges and responsibilities come with this identity?
• How does our identity as God's children differ from the world's identity?
• How would it change our parenting to begin from the foundation of this identity?
• Most dads feel undervalued and misunderstood. What is something that you wish your family knew about you?
  

Embrace Transformation

• Think about the phrase "he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears." How does this promise provide hope for our personal growth and transformation?
• John mentions in this passage that we are in “eager expectation” of becoming more like Christ. What is one way you are praying today to become more like Christ?