Sacred Whispers Blog

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1 John 4:9-10 NKJV

The statistics about fatherless homes in our world today are staggering. According to the 2024 Single Mother Guide, there are approximately 10.9 million single-parent homes in the U.S. raising 15.7 million children. Of these homes, 79.5% are headed by mothers. That means nearly 80% of these children are growing up without a father present.

Fathers play a vital role in shaping identity. They give children their family name and instill a sense of belonging and affirmation. When a father is absent, children often grow up unsure of their true identity. I know this from personal experience.

Growing up without my father profoundly impacted how I viewed myself and how I related to men in general. As a young girl, I longed for the affirmation only a father can provide—the reassurance that I was special, beautiful, and unconditionally loved. Without that foundation, I sought validation elsewhere, but it often left me with unmet needs and a gaping hole in my soul.  Even with the painful statistics I mentioned earlier, we are still assured that there is hope. That hope is in our Heavenly Father—our Daddy God.

THE LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

God’s love changes everything. 1 John 4:9-10 reminds us that God’s love is not conditional upon our actions. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate expression of love, demonstrating that we are wanted, chosen, and cherished.

Ephesians 3:14-19 describes the vastness of God’s love. Paul prays that we may comprehend “what is the width and length and depth and height” of Christ’s love and be filled with the fullness of God. This understanding brings healing and freedom, allowing us to see ourselves as God does—whole and complete in Him.

As Pastor Rick Warren says, “There are no accidental children, only accidental parents.” You are not a mistake. God created you with purpose and intention.

HEALING FROM THE PAST

I’ll never forget the moment my father, who was married to another woman, visited when I was a teenager. During his visit, I overheard him tell my mother he didn’t believe I was his child. His words pierced my heart. In anger, I yelled that I didn’t care if he was my father or not since he had never done anything for me anyway. Yet in my heart, I was devastated.

OH, BUT GOD!

Romans 8:15 reminds us that we have received the Spirit of adoption, allowing us to cry, “Abba, Father,” or “Daddy God.” No matter what we’ve endured, God is ready to restore us. He wants to heal the wounds left by absent or abusive fathers, broken relationships, and life’s disappointments.

Because of things that we have experienced, our lives have been shaped in a certain way.  How we see ourselves and how we handle life, in general, was birthed out of things that happened to us in our past.  Now that we are born again, it is time to move forward from those experiences and ask God to show us who He created us to be before we were impacted by the pain of:

• Being Molested
• Being Abused
• Being Rejected
• The Abortion
• The Job Loss
• The Divorce
• The Miscarriage
• The Bankruptcy

Only God can show us that person!  We need to know that there is a difference between “what happened to us” and who we are!  One or several of those things noted above may have happened to you, but that is not who you are!  You may still ask yourself, why did that ______ (You fill in the blank) happen to me?

Psalm 34:18 reminds us that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God’s love reaches into the deepest places of our pain to bring healing and hope.

OUR TRUE IDENTITY IN CHRIST

The enemy seeks to use our past to trap us in cycles of shame and despair. He whispers lies to keep us shackled, hoping we will:

• Abort our dreams
• Divorce our future
• Miscarry our vision
• And ultimately, lose faith in God

Think about this: The God of the universe, the one who spoke the earth into existence, put the sun in the sky to give light during the day and a lesser light to give light for the night, who told the sea and land where to meet and not to go any further. He declares that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139:14)

It is time to let go of the guilt and shame, or pain of our past and who we think we ought to be, and let God show us who we are, giving us our true identity!

But God’s truth sets us free. The God who created the universe calls us His children. His love washes away the residue of guilt, shame, and pain, breaking every chain of bondage. We must learn to live for an audience of ONE!

If we peel back all the layers of pain, guilt, shame, frustrations, disappointments, and everything that they said about us - to the essence of the real you – God says, “that woman, that man is worth every drop of blood that was shed by my son, Jesus Christ!

A verse in a song that speaks volumes to my heart says, “God, You can love me more in a moment than other lovers can in a lifetime.” This truth resonates deeply. Knowing that our Daddy loves us provides security, protection, and above all, unconditional love.

When we spend time in God’s presence, allowing Him to speak to our hearts, we begin to live for an audience of One. We no longer seek approval from others but rest in the knowledge that we are fully loved and accepted by Him.

PRAYER

Father God, thank You for Your unconditional love. Thank You for healing the wounds of our past and giving us a new identity in You. Help us to see ourselves as You see us—beloved, chosen, and valued. Teach us to walk in the fullness of Your love and to let go of the chains that have held us captive. Thank You for being our Abba Father, our Daddy God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Spend time this week reflecting on your identity in Christ. Write down Scriptures that affirm who God says you are. Meditate on Ephesians 3:14-19 and ask God to reveal the depth of His love for you.

If you are holding onto pain from your past, bring it to God in prayer. Ask Him to heal your heart and help you see yourself through His eyes. Let this truth resonate deeply: My Daddy Loves Me.