Ahead of Father’s Day on June 16 this year, a West Coast religious leader shared “three harmful lies” he believes American fathers are being told directly or indirectly in today’s culture — and why fathers need to reject these lies in order to do the best possible job with their lives. Raising Your Children,
“Many fathers are hardworking, fun, kind and intelligent,” said Jesse Bradley, pastor of Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington.
Still, he said, some of the “harmful lies” circulating about fatherhood these days are “deceptive and hard to spot. They’re subtle, powerful and simple.”
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Bradley said, however, once excavated, “they can be thrown away.”
“Replacing lies with truth is powerful,” he told Fox News Digital. with faith in god“Fathers can be freed from the mental traps people easily get entangled in.”
A Washington state pastor (not pictured) said some of the “hurtful lies” about fatherhood prevalent in today’s culture are “deceptive and hard to recognize. They are subtle, powerful and simple.” He said they must be rejected — and replaced with all-important truths. (iStock, courtesy of user eggeeggjiew)
there’s only one week left now father’s Day, He shared three lies that he believes “must be ripped from fathers’ souls” in order for fathers to be the best parents they can be for the good of their children.
Lie No. 1: ‘You can’t be a good father’
Bradley said the false message of defeat can be “debilitating” for fathers.
“It resonates with every failure and mistake … It’s too heavy a burden” to carry.
“Your past experiences in life do not define you.”
He added that men whose fathers were “absent, abusive or alienated” There might still be scars By learning from those experiences, perhaps they are “unconsciously living them out in their lives.”
Bradley, himself a husband and father of four, said, “God is a healer and close to the broken-hearted. God is a father to the orphaned. You have a Heavenly Father who is always with you. loyal and good – So find His love that endures forever.”
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For fathers who are struggling to fulfill their role, he said, “God will bring other men into your life from whom you can learn and who will fill the ‘father void’ you have endured. Your past experiences in life do not define you.”
“The truth is you can be the father you never got to be.” (iStock, courtesy of user shironosov)
Therefore, he advised to “let the negative aspects motivate you to be different.”
“Your story isn’t over yet. The truth is, you can become the father you never could be.”
Lie No. 2: ‘It’s okay to be an independent father’
Bradley said many men these days are pushed or encouraged to “go it alone” — which may be appealing initially.
“Sometimes relationships can be bad – but they are worth the investment.”
He added, “In a chaotic culture, freedom appears less complicated and involves less drama. Retreating to the ‘man cave’ may provide some much-desired shelter from the storm.”
The Christian pastor said the problem with this thinking is that “we are not created for isolation. We all need God and other people.”
“Enjoy your kids and connect with them every day. Listen to their fears, find meaningful activities, give them wise advice, make memories together.” (iStock)
“The lie here is that we are self-sufficient and can control our lives better if there is no one around us. We adopt entertainment and hobbies as a refuge. Or work becomes an escape for us. Life becomes shallow,” he said.
In his view, it is a “fast-paced and Challenging Culture Falling away from God, falling away from your spouse, falling away from your kids — and not having very close friends.”
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“No father wants a legacy of distance. Relationships can be rough at times — but they’re worth the investment,” Bradley said.
“There are many benefits to being involved with family,” he said.
Lie No. 3: ‘Being a father is not that important’
while many others can “accomplish this task Your work at the workplaceBradley addressed fathers directly, saying, “If someone takes your spot, replaces you on your weekend men’s league team or replaces you where you volunteer, you are the only man in the world who is a father to your children.”
Pastor Jesse Bradley, pictured with the family, has a message for other fathers: “God is with you every step of the way. The truth is that being grateful and purposeful as a father leads to profound joy.” (Wayne Jackson)
He said this special role “must be respected and placed very high on the priority list.”
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Bradley said, “Enjoy your children and connect with them daily. Listen to their fears, find meaningful activities, give them wise advice, make memories together, read the Bible, open your heart, join in their play, Go on a tripPray with them — and try out your best dad jokes.”
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He said the work of being a father is “relational, intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual.”
“Don’t do your best at work and only bring home ‘leftovers’,” he advised other fathers.
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He also added, “God is with you every step of the way. And the truth is, being grateful and purposeful as a father leads to the deepest joy of fatherhood.”
