The One Thing Trustworthy

moving past my own perceptions

I realized today just how much other people's past choices can affect another person's present life.

Most of my time spent growing up has been without a father figure. The father I have, is anything but that. He is a self-centered man, with the maturity of a seventeen year old, due to spending all the time since then drinking his life away, and getting high to forget the world he'd created for himself.. I never could trust him as a father. i still don't. I never could look to him as the daddy who would wrap me up in his arms, and tell me he loved me and that everything will be ok. One of the last times he told me that he loved me, he was drunk, and I felt like telling him off right there. Saying that if he loved me he wouldn't be doing what he's doing.
Men with promise of being a father to me have come and gone, and one in particular being one of the worst human beings I have ever met. Nothing has ever been constant in my life. Except for my mother. She is one of the strongest women I know, and I love and respect her soo much for everything she's had to deal with in the past. She is such an unbelievably courageous woman. That's why I can come to her and trust her with pretty much anything. She may not be June Cleaver, (=P) but she's supermom. she'd deny it, but in my eyes, she is. I'm so greatful to have an excellent stepfather now also, who can give my mother everything she deserves in life. However, I think that this lack of stability growing up, and this lack of a father figure during the early stages of my life has made me different than most other people.
I don't trust easily. I actually rarely even trust men who are deserving of my trust, and I have this huge fear that people I hold dear to my heart are going to leave me behind. This constant worry that I'll grow close to someone, and somehow, that bond will be broken or torn. I sat there in church today, and found myself holding on to the person next to me as tight as I possibly could, thinking that maybe if I just hold on to her, she won't disappear...
The sermon was on joy. The joy that is so incredibly lacking in my life. And I can't seem to figure out why. There's absolutely no reason for it not to be there. But this skewed image I have of what a father is has tarnished my own perception of my Heavenly Father also. Sometimes I find myself doubting God's intentions for humanity. I fear that maybe God is lying to me, just like my dad has. I see God as the self-centered man my own father is, rather than the real daddy i've always wanted, who will wrap his arms around me and tell me he loves me, and he will always be there for me. I hate that I do that. I hate that I feel I can't even trust the one thing trustworthy. I hate feeling that I can't trust God with my heart. I know I can, but I don't.
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Reply #1 Top
I hate feeling that I can't trust God with my heart. I know I can, but I don't.

He can take it.

I don't know how old you are but you are not alone in growing up without a dad. It is quite common. Maybe you can find a "support" group...people who have the same kind of things going on in their lives.

I'm sorry you're hurting.

I had a tumultuous childhood. I learned to play the "And then what" game.

It goes like this...(just an example I don't have the same issues but am shooting for the example)

I start thinking,

"Wow I have this great friend, or boyfriend, or whatever. He hasn't called. I think he's gonna break up with me, or I think she is making new friends. Why do the people I love always leave me?"

I ask myself...."If they do leave, THEN WHAT?"

Well, I'd be lonely.

"AND THEN WHAT?"

I'd be hurt and get depressed.

"AND THEN WHAT?"

I might get fired from my job.

"AND THEN WHAT?"

I would have to find another job.

"AND THEN WHAT?"

You just keep on until you finally get to the same answer for every single situation. "My life will go on. I will live."

Now your dialog may be different but the jist is the same.

Follow the path of your worst fear, hunt it down and play the "AND THEN WHAT?" game. You will find after only a few times, that fear is not so big, and not so controlling.

At least, it worked for me.

I hope it does for you as well.
Reply #2 Top
I know it's hard to trust, my father wasn't exactly a prize catch either. He was the usually come home drunk angry dad, and I hid from him like my life depended on it, and it did. The thing is, he changed, and I never would have thought that possible. I got to learn a very valuable lesson firsthand, and it's only right that you know. Everyone can be trusted to a certain degree. You trust that your father will continue to be a bad example, and thats all, but it is possible to learn to trust a little bit at a time. Just start with one thing, and work from there. Have your mother do a "mom check" on the guy. I don't know how it works, but womens intuition seems to work from an impartial women. Small things first, we all have to trust eventually.
Reply #3 Top
The thing is, he changed, and I never would have thought that possible.




i just hope that my dad will to. it's not as bad for me because i don't live with him. but his absence did alot also. i pray my father will change. i know nothing is impossible with God, but it still feels so incredibly out of reach.


"AND THEN WHAT?"


interesting tactic ;)
one i've never tried personally.

the thing is that there's really no "situation" in that part. it's just imbedded into my personality.
i'll remember that tho :)
Reply #4 Top
Hey Ruby,

You can hang onto me in church anyday since we sit knee to knee anyway. I sensed you seemed a bit tense this morning that's why I put my arm around you...I can't help you much in the Dad department only in that I hope I can help answer any questions you have about God and his everlasting faithful love for you. He is always faithful. Always. Goes against his holiness not to be.

Remember he said he is the father to the fatherless

A father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. Ps 68:5.
Reply #5 Top
((((((((((((((((((((((((J)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Definitely not June Cleaver -- but I love you more than you'll ever know... and I'm not going anywhere.