A misunderstood father...

Sometimes the Father is faithful to withhold, sometimes He is faithful to give, and sometimes He is not responsible for either - but when it is His hand, we must remember that He is always faithfully looking to make us more like Him. I've seen what seemed to be a removal of things in my life, and I've also seen Him give me more when I wasn't thankful, but in both cases, I can testify that there was a beautiful breaking that occurred within me once the attitude of gratitude finally surfaced within my soul.

Regardless of what is coming or going, be it physical blessings or people/relationships, we cannot allow them to be a thermostat for our response to the Father. Unfortunately, in many cases that is the default of our hearts. Think of a time you have been angry with God and think of the reason why... what you may find is that most often it can be traced back to an unmet expectation. I cannot tell you how many people I've spoken to over the years who have let something that they feel the Father did or didn't do cause them to run from His embrace. Some have chosen to boldly fight against Him and will bite any hand that comes near, others simply hide in the corner quietly nursing their wounds and waiting for a rescue.

At the end of the day, both ends of the spectrum of responses (and everything in between) are most often bound up in our own misconception of the Father - and for many, those ideas took root in our heart at a very young age in response to a rejection (perceived or real) from authority. Most of us who hold this misconception respond to such news with disdain, disbelief, and denial. If that's you don't worry, He will patiently await the time when you're ready to go down that road. He did for me.

There is hope, but it depends on whether we are willing to trust. The crucial thing we need to get deep down in our "knower" is that He is faithful, even when we're not - and even when we wrongly perceive that He is not. That knowing starts with being grateful. For most of us, there is at least one thing hidden deep down in our heart that is a source of bitterness, a root if you will that keeps a great deal of other pain, despair, and addiction firmly entrenched within our soul. When we choose to see the Father in light of who He really is, the gratitude will begin to flow, and when it does, it will begin to breakdown the grip of these strongholds of bitterness. Once that happens, there are other difficulties in our life that begin to lose their foothold as well - it's a wonderful process that I highly recommend. How far away you think you are is of no concern.

Feel free to drop me a line if you're interested in hearing more.