Trusting in Father God’s Heart

Believing in Jesus has made me a child of God, a daughter of the King, with access to all the promises and inheritances of God’s heavenly kingdom!

Click here to listen to this devotional written and narrated by Kathleen Knapp.

Scripture describes God's heart—how He loves us, takes care of us, and seeks our well-being. It often speaks of the deep love he has for us as his children, describing himself as our father or Abba. But what if our earthly fathers failed to exemplify such love? Many of us had or have those fathers. I know I struggled with understanding how God could be a loving and compassionate father when my father wasn’t that kind of dad.

My father recently passed away, and the funeral planning was challenging. I wanted to tell stories about the fun-loving, kind, and compassionate dad, but I couldn’t. Other memories quickly surfaced and crowded out the happy ones. I felt angry and hurt, and the recent conversations we had just before he died still affected me. My father was a complex man, and we had a complicated relationship.

However, the Bible tells us about our Heavenly Father, God, and His pure love for us as His children. As a believer, I am His daughter, and I must claim the inheritance that God has prepared for me—the gifts of love, compassion, peace, and joy.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1, ESV).

Believing in Jesus has made me a child of God, a daughter of the King, with access to all the promises and inheritances of God’s heavenly kingdom! Wow! The concept is so vast that my human mind strains to comprehend it. As I read the Bible, I see the relationship I can have with my perfect Father God. It reveals his personality, characteristics, and love for me. I can read about the gifts He gives me as His precious child. I can trust the Holy Spirit to reveal the love, peace, and joy that are mine to claim as a child of God.

My role is to trust His Word and open my mind and heart to receive the gifts he has for me. Our relationship can grow as I read Scripture and realize that the promises written there are His love letter from a perfect Heavenly Father to His precious daughter—me! As I pray, praise, worship Him, and study His Word, I can become confident, knowing that He loves me, takes care of me, and has a perfect plan for me.

As my relationship with God grows, I can forgive my earthly father, asking God to heal my heart, release my anger, and fill me with compassion for a man who probably tried his best, despite his struggles, to be the best father he could be. After all, he was human, just like me. And now I have the example of my perfect Heavenly Father, who loves me and wants a relationship with me.

Thank you, Abba, for being my heavenly Father and taking me in your arms, holding me in the palm of your hand, wiping away all my tears, and healing my heart.

Are you seeking a better relationship with your Heavenly Father? Take a moment today to stop and pray, asking God to reveal His deep love for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart and show God’s genuine love as you seek to build your relationship with Him through reading your Bible, praying, and praising him.

Please share with us, in the comments, how you plan to develop your relationship with our Heavenly Father today. We would love to hear from you!