Hope for Single FathersSample

Caution Men at Work: The New You

Single fathering brings with it many challenges. Unreasonable expectations often mandate we be perfect or lose credibility. Internal pressure causes us to compare ourselves with other dads. Reminders everywhere demand a desperate need for change. While adapting is necessary, it’s not always welcome.

We’ve all seen the orange cones and signs on the side of an old road warning us of construction. We slow down, knowing unexpected obstacles or challenges might be ahead.

None of us enjoys road work while it’s happening. It’s inconvenient and visually unappealing. But when it’s completed, we appreciate the benefits and improved efficiency.

It’s the same with our spiritual growth when God, the foreman, starts tearing up our asphalt to increase our capacity for growth. But unlike the world, he works on us with grace and tender understanding, renewing our hearts (Ezekiel 11:19-20).  

Transformation is how God changes us into his image. It can be unsightly and it doesn’t always feel good when our old nature is torn away to make room for the new creation into which God is making us (2 Cor. 5:17). But, the end result is a freeway, flowing finer and faster toward the fulfilment of his destiny for you. 

When we keep our eyes on our Heavenly Father, we see the best example for loving our kids and leading our families through difficult seasons of change. Be encouraged, our hope is in the Lord. There is nothing too big for him.

REFLECTION: Being a single dad requires self-care, sacrifice, and structural renovations. Consider which overhauls to your character, your heart, and your parenting are truly from God and which are self-imposed. God is for you and cheering you on toward perfection.  

If you enjoyed the Hope for Single Fathers reading plan, consider securing a copy of "The Single Dad Detour"  by Tez Brooks