Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since never had parental guidance
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Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since neve... - 11/11/2008 10:19:32 PM
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SomeFineDay
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I would appreciate any advice. As I have become more serious and mature in my walk I am increasingly running into a problem.
My problem is since I never had any parental guidance growing up, I have difficulty following and obeying God. Since I was very, very small I have made all my decisions on my own. I can't remember my parents every guiding me in any way shape or form, so I don't look to God for any of that sort of thing, and when he does guide I very easily go my own way. Even worse I get angry (sometimes) when he tried to guide because I have always been the one in control of my life. It has actually become worse as I have spiritually matured because the things that he asks me to do are so contrary to my first inclination. It is very easy to say "I'll just do what ever He says", but I have not had the practice of actually listening to anyone who asked me to do anything contrary to my will. I naturally have good sense so this does not affect me in real life, but it is currently doing a big tug of war in my spiritual life.
What do I do about this?
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/11/2008 10:40:18 PM
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deermousie
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I understand, SomeFineDay, because I struggle with a similar problem: my father was violent and brutal. I've had a terrible time learning to trust my Heavenly Father, because the earthly one was so toxic and the heavenly One let it happen. Hoo boy.
The only good decisions in my early life were the ones I made. So I've struggled for years with letting others guide me.
The way it's easy for me is that knowing God's Word sets the foundation. Don't steal but help others, don't gossip but build people up with gracious words. And so on. Pretty easy and obvious.
So if a decision I have to make involves biblical principles, I can choose to do things God's way. My choice, God's way. My strength can be used here to follow after God.
If I can't think of any biblical principles about a decision that needs to be made, then I just do what I want. I make the choice that seems wisest to me or the least harmful to others, and let it fly. If I'm confused, I go to the elders or a wiser older Christian and seek their advice. I ask what Scripture they base their advice on, and look it up. It usually becomes clear. Or if it doesn't, I can rely on God guiding me through someone like a pastor or elder who is appointed by God to help me. That one is harder for me because I want to know "why" and maybe I don't know. So will I let God use the foundation of family and church to help me? My parents are gone so I don't have to dig through their words (they sometimes were right, even if their attitude was sinful) but the elders and pastor are usually less conflicted with Scripture.
It makes life pretty free for me. I hope this didn't ramble too bad and that it helps.
_____________________________
Want to know where a certain word or phrase in the Bible is found? www.biblegateway.com Yay!
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 12:59:31 AM
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LCannon
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Think of your 'problems', whatever their source, excuse or disappointment, as 'realities'. Realities have solutions, in this obedience to Christ's Victory. 'Problems', on the other hand, just lay there festering into bitterness. Now, I'm not discounting valid claims to one's sympathy for we can carry our frustrations to the grave but sympathy is rarely the path to personal growth. Try committing Psalms 5 to memory('Give ear to my words , O LORD; give heed to my sighing. 2 Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch...10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. 11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. 12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield.'
We have to be proactive in our 'realities' to break the source of disappointment and be victorious regardless of the 'problems' and what better way then 'Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels'.
< Message edited by LCannon -- 11/12/2008 1:08:37 AM >
_____________________________
"It may be that when the angels go about their task of praising God they play
only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they
play Mozart and then too our dear Lord listens with special pleasure."(Karl Barth)
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 8:42:33 AM
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timf
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Psalm 27:10
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 1:01:24 PM
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bravjim
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This may oversimplify what you are asking, but simplicity is the best answer. When you are born again, you are born in Spirit and truth. You still live in a body of flesh, that is fallen. Therefore, you have 2 natures at war within you, the flesh and the Spirit, your way and God's way. When you refuse God's guidance, you are walking according to the flesh. When you submit to His will, and walk in His ways, you are walking according to the Spirit.
What you are experiencing is a struggle with submission. Every christian struggles in this area. It is a moment by moment choice, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. You must learn to live in this moment, and surrender and submit in this moment. Of course, you are used to the old way of life, where you are in control. It is your natural tendency. But God has given you the power through His Spirit to walk in His ways, not yours. He has freed you from that old life, so that you no longer are bound to it. You do have the choice of which way you are going to live. Jesus said, "I set before you life and death; choose life." This is a moment by moment choice, and is the key to walking in complete victory.
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 1:46:51 PM
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delete123
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
What you are experiencing is a struggle with submission.
I do not believe somefinedays problem is submission, so I will have to disagree with you.
I grew up in a life of absentee parents, all three of them. No encouragement, no disclipline, no religion, no anything.
The problem is trying to relate or see Him as just that a Father.
the father(s) in my life have no set the example of who He is.
So to identify Him as 'The Father" is understandable....
When as a child you don't have any guidance and you have to be a survivor, it is moving from the survivor mode to learn to rest in Him, His ways, and allow for Him to teach one what it means to be a parent to 'His Child.'
There also takes an amount of trust, especially when the earthly fathers (or mothers) have failed with what God had gifted and entrusted to them for nurturing and care.
It is not a simple transition as you are trying to bestow.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 2:43:03 PM
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bravjim
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quote:
ORIGINAL: delete123
quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
What you are experiencing is a struggle with submission.
I do not believe somefinedays problem is submission, so I will have to disagree with you.
I grew up in a life of absentee parents, all three of them. No encouragement, no disclipline, no religion, no anything.
The problem is trying to relate or see Him as just that a Father.
the father(s) in my life have no set the example of who He is.
So to identify Him as 'The Father" is understandable....
When as a child you don't have any guidance and you have to be a survivor, it is moving from the survivor mode to learn to rest in Him, His ways, and allow for Him to teach one what it means to be a parent to 'His Child.'
There also takes an amount of trust, especially when the earthly fathers (or mothers) have failed with what God had gifted and entrusted to them for nurturing and care.
It is not a simple transition as you are trying to bestow.
Delete, you are out of line. You don't think his problem is one of submission? Let me quote directly from His post. "My problem is since I never had any parental guidance growing up, I have difficulty following and obeying God." That is an issue of submission. The reason he gives for his unwillingness to submit is because of his lack of parental guidance. It is underdstandable, but is also an excuse not to submit to God's will. He has always done things his own way, which is a habit formed from childhood. I do not know of any christian who did not walk according to their own ways, relying on their own understanding and ways, before they were saved. But God has delivered us all to walk in liberty from that old life, if in fact we have died and are dying to that old life, and walking in newness of life.
To say I surrender to God in a moment of prayer or praise is not the same thing as remaining surrendered to Him throughout the day. When one is tempted, they have the ability to either give in to that temptation, or to choose not to give in to that temptation. Choosing one is an act of surrender, choosing the other is an act of disobedience.
Another way of looking at it that differs from seeing Him as the Father is to look at it as a choice between the flesh and the Spirit, the old nature and the new nature. All who are saved have the ability to make the right choice, and God will not take any excuses for not doing so. It will not change whether or not they are saved, but it will affect their ability to grow in the Spirit.
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 3:22:10 PM
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TorchHeart
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quote:
Delete, you are out of line.
"Out of line???" That's a little harsh wordage, don't you think?
quote:
You don't think his problem is one of submission? Let me quote directly from His post. "My problem is since I never had any parental guidance growing up, I have difficulty following and obeying God." That is an issue of submission. The reason he gives for his unwillingness to submit is because of his lack of parental guidance. It is underdstandable, but is also an excuse not to submit to God's will. He has always done things his own way, which is a habit formed from childhood. I do not know of any christian who did not walk according to their own ways, relying on their own understanding and ways, before they were saved. But God has delivered us all to walk in liberty from that old life, if in fact we have died and are dying to that old life, and walking in newness of life.
To say I surrender to God in a moment of prayer or praise is not the same thing as remaining surrendered to Him throughout the day. When one is tempted, they have the ability to either give in to that temptation, or to choose not to give in to that temptation. Choosing one is an act of surrender, choosing the other is an act of disobedience.
Another way of looking at it that differs from seeing Him as the Father is to look at it as a choice between the flesh and the Spirit, the old nature and the new nature. All who are saved have the ability to make the right choice, and God will not take any excuses for not doing so. It will not change whether or not they are saved, but it will affect their ability to grow in the Spirit.
This isn't necessarily a spiritual issue (not all things are in life). Couldn't this simply be more of an emotional immaturity from someone who has never had to deal with such "direction?"
Maybe I'm missing what you're saying here, but...
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:05:35 PM
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SomeFineDay
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It's like this. My parents, and I do not know why, never seemed to have a connection to me, no interest, no guidance, no nothing. So I guess, and I am lucky in this regard, I relied on my own good common sense, and chose my own ways at all times. Never got in trouble, made all the right choices and ended up successful and more or less fulfilled.
I will use this as an example, my parents did not send me to school till I was in seventh grade, did not teach me anything either. So when I entered school I promptly got put in all the slow classes. Thankfully, I understood the ramifications and spent a year studying everything remedial, and then moved on to grade level and then advanced levels. I ended up being a merit scholar, graduating with honors and taking all advanced level classes. I did it all on my own, no one helped, and that is the sort of attitude that I have continued.
I did not have parents to obey, if there was something distasteful and not fun to do, I just did it on my own discipline.
My trouble is that I just don't have any practice at obeying anyone, and when God does show me his standards it is bewildering at times to wrap my head around doing something that I just don't want to do. Not only that but sometimes I do get angry at prompting about things that are to me besetting sins.
I don't know if it is a submission problem, or just me with zero experience of having to submit to anything. In real life I am quite good at fitting in with situations, and I get along with pretty much anyone.
Actually, I think this is also true. I am who I am because I was the only one who shaped me, and the concept of letting God shape me is alien.
Is this rambling? I hope I explained myself better this time.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:18:44 PM
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kmangel
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I think it is natural to not want to obey God--at least initially. Obeying anyone is against our flesh. Our flesh doesn't take very kindly to anyone telling us what to do--including God.
One thing that I have done that seems to help me is realize that my first reaction is probably not the right reaction--or God's desire for me. I take a step back and ponder the situation. What is it that God really wants me to do?
I have a desire to please God. Even so, I get caught up in my flesh. A couple years ago I was getting angry with a family member over a spiritual matter. I left the faith of my childhood so sometimes things my family member says or does annoys me. One day I found myself exasperated once again and I sensed God say to me "You ask Me to work in and through you and when I do, you get mad." That really hit home. Here I was fighting against the very thing I was asking God to do in my life. Coming to this realization has really helped me relate to my family member. I haven't been upset since that realization of what I was doing.
Talk to God about your concerns. See what He has to say to you. It might surprise you.
_____________________________
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
--Mark Twain
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:25:20 PM
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delete123
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quote:
Delete, you are out of line.
No I am not out of line.
I have experience and lived this life brother and you have not. That is a huge difference.
It has nothing to do with submission as I said once before, it is a process of understanding and like anything it takes time when one has been self sufficient for so long and the Lord in all His mercy and grace is completely aware in all our ways is also very patient as He teaches us, not another fallible man. Thank You
Somefineday~
Please just allow during your prayer and explain your situation, eventhough He knows them. God is gentle in His ways and not like that of men of the earth. He understands and even Paul stated that it was not a man that taught Him but God Himself.
Seek Him and all things will be added unto you, including understanding of His ways
Blessings
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:27:49 PM
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bravjim
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First of all, no I do not think I was being harsh. I was being honest. He contradicted what I said, just as you did. You do not think disobedience is a spiritual issue? I don't understand how that could be. Every day we have choices, obey God or disobey God, and it is always a spiritual decision. The original OP is describing a habit to do things his own way which has been formed from his childhood because of a lack of parental guidance. This is a stronghold, and is buried in emotional baggage as well as mental habit. This goes to the very heart of spiritual warfare. It's like Yoda told Luke in Star Wars, he must unlearn what he has learned. The way to break down a mental or emotional stronghold is through the truth, the word of God. A very good description can be found in 2 Cor 10:3-6, as well as in Romans 8:1-17. Continually throughout his epistles, Paul tells us to put on the mind of christ, and describes attributes to those who do and who do not put on the mind of Christ. It all has to do with walking in the Spirit or in the flesh. It is the very nature of the spiritual warfare that we face.
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:33:08 PM
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TorchHeart
Posts: 1979
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
First of all, no I do not think I was being harsh. I was being honest. He contradicted what I said, just as you did. You do not think disobedience is a spiritual issue? I don't understand how that could be. Every day we have choices, obey God or disobey God, and it is always a spiritual decision. The original OP is describing a habit to do things his own way which has been formed from his childhood because of a lack of parental guidance. This is a stronghold, and is buried in emotional baggage as well as mental habit. This goes to the very heart of spiritual warfare. It's like Yoda told Luke in Star Wars, he must unlearn what he has learned. The way to break down a mental or emotional stronghold is through the truth, the word of God. A very good description can be found in 2 Cor 10:3-6, as well as in Romans 8:1-17. Continually throughout his epistles, Paul tells us to put on the mind of christ, and describes attributes to those who do and who do not put on the mind of Christ. It all has to do with walking in the Spirit or in the flesh. It is the very nature of the spiritual warfare that we face.
Not everything is a spiritual issue. I think this could very well be more of a case of a pyschological/immaturity issue. If you don't understand the concept of "submission to God" (as I don't believe the OP does), how do you expect them to deal with it. And this stems back from their lack of a parental figure.
Now maybe we're saying the exact sam thing, here, and just looking at it from different ways.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 4:46:02 PM
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delete123
Posts: 991
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
First of all, no I do not think I was being harsh. I was being honest. He contradicted what I said, just as you did. You do not think disobedience is a spiritual issue? I don't understand how that could be. Every day we have choices, obey God or disobey God, and it is always a spiritual decision. The original OP is describing a habit to do things his own way which has been formed from his childhood because of a lack of parental guidance. This is a stronghold, and is buried in emotional baggage as well as mental habit. This goes to the very heart of spiritual warfare. It's like Yoda told Luke in Star Wars, he must unlearn what he has learned. The way to break down a mental or emotional stronghold is through the truth, the word of God. A very good description can be found in 2 Cor 10:3-6, as well as in Romans 8:1-17. Continually throughout his epistles, Paul tells us to put on the mind of christ, and describes attributes to those who do and who do not put on the mind of Christ. It all has to do with walking in the Spirit or in the flesh. It is the very nature of the spiritual warfare that we face.
Listen Son~
you do not understand the whole picture and that is why you are out of the loop on this. I have lived this life and even my younger sister who is older than you has lived it understand.
Unfortunately if you keep bible thumping people SomefineDay is going to leave here confused.
You may have an understanding of God, rules and disobedience, but you do not have God's understanding of Compassion, Mercy and Grace which we all live under.
Others do not always view things as simplex, when one's life has not been.
It's not just open your bible and Wahlah it happens, maybe in some cases, but not all. Best of all God understands this and works with us and is compassionate and plentiful in Mercy and His grace.
So take the bus north
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 5:23:09 PM
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bravjim
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Just what is it that makes you think that I have not experienced and lived this life? I myself was unwilling to to submit to God in a number of areas of my life. But He worked on me just as He is working in SomeFineDay until I came to the understanding that I was not walking according to His Spirit, but according to my own flesh. I was not trusting Him with my life, so therefore I was not surrendered to Him. Surrendering my life and making Him the Lord of my life is not just something that I should pray for, but something that I had to live out in practice. It is a matter of cooperating with Him on moment by moment basis. He is the Lord, the master, and I belong to Him, not myself. It wasn't until I understood this fact that I was willing to surrender my life to Him, moment by moment. I am not the Lord of my own life, He is.
This is the same thing that SomeFineDay is referring to. His situation is different from mine in that he has found success by doing it his way (which I never did), so he is reluctant to surrender control of his life to God. If I had found any kind of success before getting saved, I do not think that I would have ever been saved. I grew up in church, and chose to live life my way (I loved sin more than I loved God) rather than God's way. It wasn't until I hit rock bottom before I had to admit that I couldn't do it without Him. Even then, it took several years before I began to trust Him enough to submit my life to Him on a moment by moment basis. It is a life long process, and it is called sanctification.
uote]ORIGINAL: delete123
quote:
Delete, you are out of line.
No I am not out of line.
I have experience and lived this life brother and you have not. That is a huge difference.
It has nothing to do with submission as I said once before, it is a process of understanding and like anything it takes time when one has been self sufficient for so long and the Lord in all His mercy and grace is completely aware in all our ways is also very patient as He teaches us, not another fallible man. Thank You
Somefineday~
Please just allow during your prayer and explain your situation, eventhough He knows them. God is gentle in His ways and not like that of men of the earth. He understands and even Paul stated that it was not a man that taught Him but God Himself.
Seek Him and all things will be added unto you, including understanding of His ways
Blessings
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 5:32:19 PM
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TorchHeart
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Yes, but you aren't addressing what's blocking him from doing this (submitting to God) which is where the problem actually stems from, in my view.
I think the key difference is WHY were you not surrendering your life to God, and why is the OP not doing this. And that's what needs to be addressed here, first. The OP by his own admission, has trust issues in regards to parents that they feel are/were abscent in their life.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming that's different from what you're situation was. In which case, while your unwillingness was a spiritual dilema, this OP's is (first and foremost) a psychological dilema which must be over-come first.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 5:35:40 PM
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delete123
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
Just what is it that makes you think that I have not experienced and lived this life? I myself was unwilling to to submit to God in a number of areas of my life.
Because you experience was with things other than parental. You once stated you had parents that raised you, not abscent parents, or even a latchkey kid.
You had parents that have directed you, your problem may have been submission as you have stated in other posts son! But it certainly was not in the arena where you had them but they were mentally, physically, or emotionally unavailable to you.
So do not even compare, the shoes do not fit!!! Not even close!
If you have a problem with submission then take care of it, but do not put your conviction on someone else in which you are suppose to own up to.
God deals with each individual in HIS ways, not what you want to impose as a neccessity. He deals with people on their level to mature them using His word and Gentle self, somtimes more pressing depending on the issue, but He certainly does not thump a person into submission.
He teaches them in a manner that should have been done by her/his parents long ago. She/he is still a child inside and running, so please stop with your orders which mean Nothing!
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 8:18:44 PM
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bravjim
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First, my issue was psychological as well. I could go into all the dysfunctional family life that I experienced growing up as well, which I have learned is the root cause of the choices I made. But there is not enough room or time to go into all of that. But trust me when I say, that a large part of my problem was parental, such as watching my dad beat my mom, which led to a very nasty divorce, landing me in several foster homes by the time I was 10. and that is only scratching the surface. So trust me, there are more similarities than what you know. It is not exactly the same, but there are similar roots. The difference is the way we reacted. He reacted in a positive way, I didn't.
Second a psychological issue is still a spiritual issue. You may not have heard, the soul is comprised of the mind, will, and emotions. The spiritual war that takes place for the soul takes place in the mind. Any study into spiritual warfare will lead you to the same conclusion. It all boils down to how you think. Just as it says in Romans 12; be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The mind is renewed through the word of God, and through prayer. As you abide in His word, seeking to really understand it, it changes the way that you think, as well as showing you the root cause of your problem. This process has led me to change my complete view on weed (and other drugs), as well as cigarettes. I overcame this by the renewing of mind, and not by any other means. God changed the way that I think, and everything else followed.
< Message edited by bravjim -- 11/12/2008 8:29:31 PM >
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/12/2008 9:44:37 PM
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TorchHeart
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quote:
Second a psychological issue is still a spiritual issue.
Not necessarily, as is the case here. You're dealing with someone who isn't familiar with parental guidance and isn't familiar with "submitting" to a higher athority due to past psychological trauma and neglect. Someone who doesn't understand these characteristics, yet, cannot be expected to simply do them. This is a mental issue first (dealing with maturity), and then a spiritual issue.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 9:20:28 AM
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SomeFineDay
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Had to think about this for a bit. I really don't know about this all. I am a bit confused. I know God knows all this about me, and in truth I have felt nothing but love and kind guidance from him. The few times I have not submitted, well I knew how He felt about that as well, and that was a very harsh feeling, one that I did not find fun at all.
What I do have a trouble with is thinking of God in any way in the framework as father. Since I did not have one, it does not exist as a concept to me. I think that that has the potential to be a drag on my spiritual life especially as I am moving past my normal set point of good behavior into areas that are outside my norms.
I'll put it this way, I submit to God's "rules" ninety percent of the time, just because it is my nature, I have good common sense, I like order and I like to be "good". The other ten percent of the time is the struggle, when I do have God acting as a "parent" and not only do I have no experience with parent concepts, I am used to directing my own paths. Several times I did get angry, but, that was one of the few times I did feel such a strong rebuke from God, I think I am pretty much cured of getting angry, it was after the rebukes that I thought about the issue and came up with the questions that I put in my opening post.
P.S I am a lady not a man.
P.S I don't know if it is a submission concept but more something that is a drag on my spiritual life and something that God would desire to grow into spiritual maturity with. It is obvious from the Bible that he want to be a "Father" to us and if there is something holding me back from this for issues beyond my control then he wants to heal me, not hurt me. I have mostly felt his spirit as being kind and gentle.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 9:26:37 AM
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timf
Posts: 462
Joined: 10/20/2006
Status: offline
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Actually, I think this is also true. I am who I am because I was the only one who shaped me, and the concept of letting God shape me is alien.
The following video may be helpful for someone who has difficulty seeing God in their life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUiW-zC8qNo
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 11:38:07 AM
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delete123
Posts: 991
Joined: 6/1/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SomeFineDay
What I do have a trouble with is thinking of God in any way in the framework as father. Since I did not have one, it does not exist as a concept to me. I think that that has the potential to be a drag on my spiritual life especially as I am moving past my normal set point of good behavior into areas that are outside my norms.
SFD~
I find a book a few years ago that may help you. It's called:
Daddy Loves His Girls by T.D. Jakes
Timf~The video was Awesome that's for posting it
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 3:23:11 PM
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bravjim
Posts: 395
Joined: 10/8/2008
Status: offline
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If you are submitting to God 90% of the time, then you are doing better than I am at this point. I think that what you are experiencing is part of the normal struggle of every christian. No one submits 100% of the time, though they might claim they do. From what you write, you are being led by the Spirit in the areas that you are struggling in because He is convicting you, and His conviction holds weight with you because it is leading you to change what you are doing eventually. We all want to be perfect now, but God wants to work patience into us as well. Keep putting Him first, and eventually you will be submitting to Him more and more.
_____________________________
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 3:28:45 PM
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TorchHeart
Posts: 1979
Joined: 6/4/2008
From: One of the coldest places on Earth
Status: offline
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SomeFineDay> I have a question: Do you have problems with this in other areas of your life? For example, with supervisors at work, authority figures, etc.
Also, is there anyone you look up to as a parent figure?
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RE: Trouble following and seeing God as Father...Since ... - 11/13/2008 3:58:50 PM
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SomeFineDay
Posts: 95
Joined: 5/2/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: timf
Psalm 27:10
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
I had never read this verse before, I memorized it right now and paraphrased it as well;
"When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord took me up"
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