No human father can compare to who are father in heaven is or how much He loves us. In this age, many children have been programmed by our media to think of their fathers of the world as mere jokes and fakes. As liars and frauds. TV show that come to mind like American Dad, The Simpsons, and Family Guy have decimated the authority figure and role model that the name of “father” comes with. If your children watch these shows or shows like them, they are a strong influence to reject you as a father and to judge you according to the standards (unfair) of the world media view.
Fathers are for discipline, first. We are here to help guide and disciple young minds spiritually by exposing the truth from the lies and the good from the evil to each member of our family and beyond. All of this, must be done with love. Love is the reason for all of this, after all. To glorify our Father in Heaven.
The Bible tells us to honor our fathers and to listen to them. While I admit, some fathers deserve neither. Many don’t deserve forgiveness. I know I don’t. My children didn’t have the best father. I have made horrible mistakes as a young father. There were times I neglected my children. When I shut them off because of insecurity or didn’t give them the attention they needed because I never received it. There were times when I was a drunkard, a slanderer; when I was a blasphemer, when I was a horrible leader and one that didn’t deserve forgiveness. I had spoken lies, broken promises, stated half-truths, and was a hypocrite – just like the TV shows reveal us fathers to be. I admit it, I was, at times, a father depicted in the shows, I think we all need to admit it. We need to tell each other – we fall short! I’m fallen! Please forgive me! We need to repent and learn from our mistakes and move on from here – to heal. We also need to forgive.
If you struggle every father’s day because of hidden unforgiveness towards your father or if you are a father who struggles with unforgiveness for yourself, it’s time to heal. Heal from the trauma this world gives us. Heal from the mental anguish we go through to understand why we are here. Heal from the pain we endure when we make mistakes, and we all do make mistakes. We all fail to make the mark both as fathers and as children. We all sin and we all fail at some point. Recognize that failure is learning. We must rise above the pain to reach a place where we forgive each other and our selves, in order to forgive all others.
I pray my children forgive me for being human. For falling short. I never wanted to. My father fell short and his father before him. We are in a long line of unforgiveness for fathers. Yet – we all loved each other. Every father loved their child – even though they didn’t know how to. This world deceives the minds of people. I also pray for you to forgive your father and for all children to get to a place where they can honor their father. Because when we do – we also honor our own life. When we curse our fathers or mothers, we are put to death. It’s the cause and effect of this world and one we can avoid with forgiveness.
Can we forgive our fathers? Honoring our fathers is the same as honoring our God and honoring ourselves too. Regardless of who they are or were, to forgive them is to heal. God bless you to the understanding of this message.
Happy Father’s Day – you are loved!