Feel like you’re not good enough? You’re right—being a husband/dad isn’t to be done alone. You’re called to be the vessel—the hose—through which God’s living water flows to your wife and kids. John 7:38 says, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus does at least three things here—and we should to do them as well.

#1 Point to Jesus. “Whoever believes in me…” Jesus pointed to Himself in John 7:38—He’s the source. So, you have a choice: point to yourself or point to Him. You need His strength. He says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (v. 37). Whether you realize it or not, have a condition called “dying of thirst.” Your thirst is only quenched by Jesus. Where do you look for water? Where you look is where you’ll point others.

#2 Point to His Word. “…as the Scripture has said…” Jesus pointed to Scripture. You have an option: point to your opinion or to God’s Word. Spoiler: God’s wisdom is what your family needs—it’s way better than your advice! Guard against leading your family with your own ideas—lead them with the wisdom of the One Who knows it all.

#3 Point to His works. “‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus pointed to His works. You have a choice: brag about your past glory days or point to God’s work. Let His Word fill your heart so much that you’ve got stories ready at any moment. God’s kind like that—He’ll give you a chance to share. Just as Jesus pointed to His works to give evidence that He was God—you can point to God’s work as evidence for your kids that God is alive and well.

10 Bible Verses About Resilience: It’s been said that getting knocked down in life is a given. It’s going to happen. Getting up and moving forward, however, is a choice. We have the option to push on or give in to discouragement. As men of God, the Lord calls us to lives of resilience. He never promised a smooth ride, but He did promise that He would guide us every step of the way—even in the hard times. Those promises are sealed in His Word, so it makes sense for us to dig into the Scriptures to learn more about demonstrating faithful endurance in tough times.

We’re The Vessel, Not The Source: In this special 200th episode (woo-hoo!), we wanted to talk about one of the most crucial topics when it comes to being a godly dad. If you ever feel like you’re not good enough, you don’t have it all figured out, or you’re just confused on where to go next as a dad, we’ve got news for you: you’re right. If it were completely up to us, we’d never be the fathers God has called us to be. The beauty of being a Christian is that we don’t have to do it on out own. We are simply the vessels that God uses. Today, let’s remind ourselves that we are not the source of wisdom, strength, or life, but we’re the pipes that carry the flow of God’s grace to our children.

Patrick Morley: “In a desert, if you’re thirsty, you’re dying. Jesus is inviting the dying to come to him for life. Are you dying? Yes, we’re all dying. What can we do about it? Jesus invites the dying to come to him.”

No “Ragrets.” Want to have no regrets? Point to Jesus, not yourself. Point to God’s Word, not your own opinions. Point to God’s work over your past accolades. Do this, and you’ll not only show your family Jesus, you’ll live out a life that satisfies. You’ll experience God’s grace, power, and wisdom, offering true joy to your wife and kids. Point your family to Jesus, His Word, and His work. Trust God to transform your family.

Kent Evans
Author of Don’t Bench Yourself, co-founder of Manhood Journey

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Tell me if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.