So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. ROMANS 8:15–16 

Embracing God as your Father allows you to have peace and rest that doesn’t come from any other Source. Some of us have had the unfortunate journey of not having an earthly father or of having an earthly father who was not present in our lives. What that may result in is us struggling to see God as provider, protector, and purifier of our homes and our lives. When our earthly father doesn’t give us a godly example from an early age, many of us grow up with vulnerability and an open door for fear, anxiety, and unhealthy connections. These unhealthy connections plant the seeds of fear toward ever having healthy and meaningful relationships. 

The lack of a godly father may manifest fear in ways that result in feeling like something bad is about to happen or that things aren’t going to work out for our good because “the other shoe is about to drop,” as they say. It can also lead to high levels of anxiety if you don’t sense that the people you love will stay around you for long. In addition, fear causes people to feel unlovable. For whatever reason, the seed the absent father plants in a child is a seed of neglect and abandonment and feeling unlovable. 

God wants to remind us that He can heal every broken area. He wants to reestablish what it means to be our Father. If you have had a similar experience where you did not have your earthly father in your life like you needed him to be or he was just completely absent and you’ve never known your dad, God can heal you. He can replace unhealthy seeds that were planted in your heart and show up in your life in ways that make you feel loved, supported, and cared for. 

Prayer 

Father, thank You for being Abba, Father. I release all fear that may come from any unhealthy connections with my parents. I ask that You heal me today and fill in any gaps that may be present. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

This is an excerpt from Release: 90 Days to Embracing God’s Plan for Your Life by Bridgette Reed – a new devotional journal now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.