The Faith Full Life

I hate discomfort, but who doesn’t? As believers, many of us have been taught that we can cast down, bind, and loose our way out of discomfort in an instant. In my experience, that’s not often how it works. And when life’s discomforts become persistent or unbearable, I’ve found myself questioning my faith or even God’s motives. I had to acknowledge that sometimes doubt lies quietly in my heart, and sometimes it rises boldly to the surface of my tongue. And I don’t think I’m alone in this.

When I pray in the middle of discomfort and open my eyes only to see that my bank account is still empty, my heart is still broken, that family member is still struggling, and the world is still fallen… I sometimes wonder if this Heavenly Father of mine is even listening.

But He is. He always is. I am His daughter, and He is a loving Father. He’s not part‑time, He’s not absent, and He’s not out of touch. He watches without sleeping, He cares about every detail of my life, and He is not indifferent when I’m hurting or drifting.

Psalm 121:4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

I imagine earthly parents feel this way about their children too. If you, an earthly parent, love your child deeply and would move mountains for them, how much more does God love His children?

Ephesians 3:18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

I’ve found that many of the questions we have about God’s behavior and what he allows us to experience become easier to understand when we view Him through the lens of a loving, wise, and intentional parent. It helps me to frame things using an earthly parent to child relationship as a reference point.

For example, imagine a teenager who wants to drive. They are eager, convinced they are ready, and even frustrated by the delay.

But the parent says, “Not yet.”

From the teenager’s perspective, it feels like restriction. From the parent’s perspective, it is about their child’s readiness.

Driving is not just about desire. It requires training, attention, discipline, and judgment. Premature access to the road is not harmless. It places the child and others at risk.

So before the keys are ever handed over, there is instruction. There is observation. There are hours of learning under supervision. There are moments where the parent is present but not intervening, letting correction happen in real time.

The parent is not denying something good. They are preparing the child to safely carry what they have requested. So the delay is not rejection. It involves preparation.

And in the same way, what we often interpret as God withholding may actually be God responding as a wise Father who is considering our desire, readiness, level of responsibility, and what the outcome would be if access came too soon.

Just about any situation I face can fit into this perspective. When I’m asking for money, I’m aware that my Father may first look at how responsible I’ve been with what He’s already trusted me with. When I ask Him to save me from situations where He has already equipped me to save myself, He may watch quietly while I learn to use what He’s given me. And when I make poor decisions, sometimes my Father allows me to experience the consequences so I can grow. Other times, He gives His kid a break and comforts me instead. That is His grace and mercy. He pushes me to rise, but He also invites me to rest. He is always conspiring to keep me on the right path, and He delights in giving me, as his child, good gifts.

Matthew 7:11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

So, I encourage you, when you’re confused and wondering where God is; try viewing your circumstances through the eyes of a parent. If your child were going through the same thing, where would you be? What would you think? How would you feel? Your response might differ from God’s, but remember, He is wiser and sees a broader picture. The way you feel for your child is likely just a snippet of how God feels for you.

Also consider your child’s perspective when you have to protect them in ways they don’t understand. You are wiser than your child. They won’t always understand your motives or decisions, yet you have their best interest at heart. And so does our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 84:11 For the Lord is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

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The goal here is to learn to hold two perspectives at the same time. First, to see yourself honestly as the child in the relationship with God, the one who desires, waits, learns, and sometimes misunderstands timing. Second, to intentionally step into the perspective of the parent, considering what wisdom, protection, and long-term formation would look like if you were the one making the decisions. I believe this provides a more practical, relational view of the Father and might bring more clarity to our daily interactions with him.

This is a broad and rich topic, and I’m excited to expand it into a series. We’ll branch into subjects like a father’s protection, provision, discipline, and correction. We’ll also navigate the reality of earthly parents who were absent, unpredictable, unreliable, or abusive and where God fits into those narratives as a Father. My hope is that we all gain deeper insight into how to relate to and rely on God as a Father in a practical, healing way.