Encouragement for Today

June 3, 2024 Letting Your Heavenly Father Love You BLYTHE DANIEL Lee en español

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (NLT)

For some of us, some of the hardest seasons are the ones that bring up a parent’s role in our lives. As Father’s Day approaches, you might experience an undercurrent of sadness as your dad may not have been the dad you hoped for. And it can be difficult to relate to God as heavenly Father or receive His love when you haven’t experienced a loving earthly father.

Have you ever thought about the qualities of God’s character that you would want your father to display, like protection, provision, teaching, comfort and nurturing? Deep disappointment enters when our father hasn’t shown these qualities. But whether or not you can talk with your father, you can talk with God about how He wants to bring who He is into your life.

God wants you and me to remember that He has always known who our parents would be; He’s had a plan for our lives since before we existed (Psalm 139:13-16). Your place in your family is not a mistake. You bring a spiritual presence to your family given to you by God.

In our key verses, Jesus shares, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29, NLT).

Where a father may fall short, Jesus is gentle with us and helps our souls rest. When we carry the burden of not having a good relationship with our father, God the Comforter steps in to heal our hearts, and He holds us in His arms. God can nurture us and help us take steps to acknowledge and recognize Him as our Father.

I’ve found it helpful, when I feel a lack of love in my earthly family, to go to God the Father and ask Him to show how He loves me. This Father’s Day, consider talking with God in these ways:

1. Ask God to help you grieve the father you wished for. He can help you forgive your earthly father for not being who he needed to be.
2. Ask God to father you in ways your father did not. God promises to renew your heart and spirit: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26a, NLT).
3. Practice gratitude. Our Father loves when we delight in Him. We can draw closer to Him and change our perspective as we thank Him for how He loves us in the ways we want and need to be loved.

As Father’s Day approaches, maybe you’re preparing to honor your earthly father. Or maybe Father’s Day is painful for you because of who your father was or is. Even if your earthly father let you down, you can trust that your heavenly Father will never leave you or forsake you, and He will never disappoint you.

Whatever your earthly father was not, God is everything and more for you.

Father, will You give me tangible ways to feel Your love and heal my heart as Your child? You are the perfect Father. Thank You for being in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

In a world that often puts dads on the back burner, authors Blythe Daniel, William Daniel and Helen McIntosh seek to honor dads through the words of their new devotional book for fathers, I Love You, Dad! Through stories, Bible verses, hope and humor, this book is sure to bring a smile to the faces of the fatherly figures in your life. Highlighting attributes of fathers that we cherish the most — from compassion to respect to good work ethic and everything in between — I Love You, Dad! treasures dads as we look to our heavenly Father. This book would be a good gift for your father or for your husband from your children. Get your copy today in time for Father’s Day!

ENGAGE

Visit Blythe Daniel on Facebook and Instagram, William Daniel on Facebook and Instagram, and Helen McIntosh on Facebook. You can also visit their website: ourmendedhearts.com.

Click here for a free download of the first chapter of I Love You, Dad!

Enter to WIN your very own copy of I Love You, Dad! by Blythe Daniel, William Daniel and Helen McIntosh. To celebrate this book, their publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, June 10, 2024.}

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Isaiah 64:8, “And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand” (NLT).

In what ways do you see God’s love changing you? Although it may not always be possible to have such a conversation, if you could, how would you express yourself to your father as a dearly loved daughter of God?

© 2024 by Blythe Daniel. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Blythe Daniel for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.

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