Do you have an older son? Think he’s too far gone or that you have to live with your past regrets forever? Guess what, he’s not too far gone and you don’t have to live with regret. If you’re going to be a godly dad, it’s time you identify and destroy the despair obstacle.
Maybe the despair obstacle doesn’t sound like you. How about one of the other obstacles?
- The Ignorance Obstacle > “I didn’t know it was my job.”
- The Inertia Obstacle > “I don’t know where to start.”
- The Delegation Obstacle > “I’ll let someone else do it.”
- The Guilt Obstacle > “Who am I to talk?”
- The Procrastination Obstacle > “I’ve got plenty of time.”
- The Despair Obstacle > “My kid’s already too far gone.”
In this post, we’ll talk about The Despair Obstacle—how it sounds, how it interferes, how to remove it and how Scripture can help us overcome it.
How the Obstacle Sounds
The Despair Obstacle sounds like this: “My kid’s already too far gone.”
How the Obstacle Interferes
The man approached me after a presentation with tears in his eyes. I judged him to be in his early 60s. He said, “I have a 29-year-old son, and I blew it. I didn’t do enough when I had him with me, and now we’ve grown apart.”
My heart broke for this guy. Partly because of his tough situation. But, more so because he was giving in to Satan’s lie that the situation was not redeemable. His hopelessness made me sadder than his circumstances.
If you are a dad of a teenager, young adult, or even a not- so-young adult, there is still hope! You don’t have to say “my son is too far gone”.
God is the author of redemption and restoration. While He will not turn back the hands of time, He will help you redeem that time, if you’re willing to fight.
I then bumped into this man again a few months later. He was still lamenting his situation. Together, we talked about it and decided that he would take a simple step. He would start texting his son each month, asking how he could pray for him. We figured that it might lead to more dialogue, interaction, and maybe over time, more transparency and healing.
So what? Well, what have you been putting off doing with your son? It’s time to start now talking about biblical manhood. Maybe this means sending a text just to spark the conversation again. But, here’s the point: identify areas where you may be in despair and destroy them. We’re here if you need us. Remember, no one else has the God-ordained responsibility of raising your children.
Can you see how the despair obstacle interferes with being a godly dad? Let’s look at how to remove it.
How to Remove The Obstacle
1) Resist despair > Tell the devil he’s a liar and you know the time can be redeemed. Call his bluff and flatly refuse to buckle under.
2) Know God > If you think your situation can’t be restored, perhaps you don’t know enough about God and His methods. Study the life of Paul.
3) Build bridges > Offer to pray for your child, take him golfing or learn about one of his hobbies. Build a simple relational connection, on his terms.
How Scripture Helps Us Overcome the Obstacle
“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is near the brokenhearted; he saves those who are crushed in spirit.” —Psalm 34:17-18
“Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” —1 Corinthians 9:19, 22
Now that we know how The Despair Obstacle sounds, how it interferes, how to remove it and how Scripture helps, we can start building the next generation of godly men. Join us by grabbing your free eBook Identify and Destroy. Let’s walk this journey together.
