Normally I would have waited until Father’s day to release this article but it was on my mind and so I decided to share my thoughts about it.
Anyway I believe that most normal people have a desire to please and identify with their father or a fatherly figure. However when this relationship is hindered from developing through some sort of dysfunction, such as with an absentee father through death, divorce, abandonment, neglect or abuse, etc. then this may have a profound effect on how they view Father God. This can promote a tendency to project such emotionally strong feelings of negativity as leading to a lack of trust with skepticism and hostility towards the ultimate authority and Father, namely God. Sometimes you experience this when you meet a person who reminds you of someone else who has mistreated you as influencing the way you think and behave around them as also including roles and gender.
Of course I realize that this scenario may not always describe all people who are able to positively work through this dilemma or on the other hand esteem their atheist/agnostic fathers as a role model in taking on their mantle of unbelief.
Yet even if a person is able to disassociate between Heaven and Earth there is another problem that emerges with the question of “How could God allow me to be victimized by life?” Respectfully, this predicament is the crux of the human condition as involving depraved, free will creatures who are ultimately responsible for their actions which I have written more about in another article dealing with pain, suffering, and evil.
Another argument against the concept of an Almighty Father or God is by simply regarding it as “wish fulfillment” in strictly meeting their emotional needs and yet this is a moot point as this can equally apply to someone who also avoids God for psychological reasons e.g., immorality.
Then there is the situation on how to reconcile the concept of Hell with a good Father who is both loving and just and all the questions that go with this matter which also becomes a non issue for those who are in a relationship with God as fulfilling the Creator’s will for their lives as His desire is that none should perish, 2 Peter 3:9, Mt. 25:41.
Also whether consciously or subconsciously we all seem to have a tendency to want to make this intimate connection with our fathers even if it means substituting this heavenly/earthly model of a fatherly image to include counterfeits e.g., false religion and cults.
Furthermore in trying to get our fathers acceptance or approval we may also look for other avenues in which to please them such as our accomplishments or even by blaming ourselves for their failures so as to somehow win their favor. Yet whatever the situation might be, our earthly fathers, even at their very best is nothing compared to the Heavenly Father who loves you for the person He created you to be, Mt 7:7-11, Psalms 139:13-16.
Lastly if you have never received God’s love as your Heavenly Father I would ask you to reconsider your motives for rejecting Him. Happy Father’s Day my friend. #Godisgood
Romans 8:14-17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
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