Finding Joy When #TheStruggleIsRealSample

Day 6: Daddy Issues— Reinventing our Relationship With God

Father is a loaded word. Some of us have had incredible experiences with our fathers, but they are still human and flawed. Many of us had “bad dad” experiences. They weren’t who we needed them to be, whether by intentional choice or unintentional circumstances. As children, we needed fathers who balanced the power of their protective abilities with the tenderness of their love. Some fathers exhibited power without tenderness. Others were tender but lacked strength. Only our heavenly Father is perfect in both power and love for His children. Yet without intentional effort, we will likely lean toward understanding God’s power while discounting His affection or grasping His affection while underestimating His power.

God has given us His own words to describe the balance of power and love He offers to each one of us. He uses words like lavish, delight, and affection to describe how He feels about us. His power is evident in His work in the world, but perhaps His tender mercies aren’t as close to your experience.   Close your eyes and imagine hearing from God. What is the tone of His voice? Is it tinged in delight and affection or in condemnation and shame? Is it a voice of love or a voice of disapproval? Does God seem interested in you or bored by you?

To rewrite your story, you must first believe that God is for you. You must have an accurate understanding of His great, fierce, crazy, unrelenting love for you. When your inner voice sounds like anything but love, visualize yourself waving a red flag and then rewrite the script.

As we begin to understand who God is, His love for us begins to change the way we feel about ourselves. As our relationship with God grows, our communication with Him flourishes, and He begins to change the way we treat ourselves. It’s hard to be so harsh with ourselves when our heavenly Father is busy delighting in us. 

As we begin to see ourselves as loved by God rather than as people who must meet certain standards to be worthy of love, everything around us begins to change.

Conversation Starter: One of the ways Jesus defines our relationship with God is by calling Him "Father". How does your relationship with your earthly father color your understanding of God as Father?

Getting started: Below are a few short verses you can memorize, recite, or pray through as you rewrite what it means to be loved by your heavenly Father. Bring these truths close to your heart. Speak them aloud before you go to bed and when you wake up. Write them on your heart; cover the doors of the rooms of Fear and Insecurity and Disapproval with them.

Verses:

The Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them.

Deuteronomy 10:15

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9,  NLT

Our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, . . . keeps his covenant of love.

Nehemiah 9:32

Your love is better than life.

Psalm 63:3

Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.

Psalm 69:16

The Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

Psalm 149:4

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

Lamentations 3:22