There is perhaps no other aspect of your fatherhood that will stir up more issues, bring more temptations for you than providing for your family. In working to provide for a family a man's expectations are very high. But together with the dignity imparted to him all the way back in the Garden of Eden there is at the same time echoes of the curse. This makes for a strange combination of opposite emotions, high expectations (hopes) and high frustrations (thorns and thistles). The high expectations spring from the creation and the high frustrations spring from the curse of man having fallen into the state of sin.
It is important to remember that every man's father faced similar temptations in this area. And as he faced his temptations, he, being a sinful man, inevitably wounded his son in the process. When a son becomes a father himself the challenge of providing for his family can open up those old wounds that were not ever healed.
But there is a blessing hidden within this curse. It is in this part of a father's provider identity, perhaps more than any other area, that a man is most apt to turn to Another Father, the heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus. Just listen to a group of men who are supporting and praying for each other and you will hear these men ask for prayer for their jobs in some way. This role stretches a man to turn to outside help! And for us guys, that is a good thing.
In what way has your work caused YOU to depend upon "Another Father?" Leave comment below!
3 comments:
When I was a new father I was faced with the temptation to do the same thing my father did--to over do it and to not be present to my family when I came home. I then realized that I was dealing with something stronger than I could handle on my own, that I needed God's help to break the generational curse.
My father had to work a lot of evenings when I was growing up and I learned that working hard and working long hours was a good thing to do to support the family. This, of course, is not necessarily true. I still have to deal at this today.....many years later.....as I have been a father to balance my work and family time. Through prayer and seeking the Lord's direction I am getting better, but it is still a battle.
One way we helped our children appreciate Christmas while they were in HS was to get involved as a family with Angel Tree Ministry that provides Christmas presents for children whose parents are in prison. This included selecting the presents, wrapping them and then personally delivering them to the familiy. Some years later when our son had come home from college, we ran into him at the Angel Tree distribution point. He had decided to come by himself and had cslled a single friend of ours. They ended up not only delivering the presents but provided Christmas dinner and a tree as well.
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