Today is Father's Day in the Dominican Republic. It was wonderful to be there and worship in Spanish. I also really enjoyed the message in spite of not understanding it all.
The pastor talked about a father's responsibilities. Some he mentioned were taking care and providing for your family. He also talked about how fathers are responsible for the home environment, meaning how things are within the home. Is it an environment of mutual respect between all members? Does every member feel loved and appreciated? Is it a negative environment?
That last one cut me to the core. Lately I've caught myself being negative towards Stef. It spills over from my negativity towards myself. It's been a long battle and one in which I'm still learning to submit my thoughts to God.
One of my spiritual gifts is encouragement, now I just need to delete the negativity in my life. That's the last thing I want to promote in my family. I want my family to thrive, and part of that is making sure it's a culture of encouragement where each member feels free to be themselves without having to worry about being criticized.
I pray as a father that I learn to better imitate my heavenly father in the day to day. From showing my wife and child love and encouragement to encouraging them and building them up, may I allow the Father to shape me as a father.
No comments:
Post a Comment