I have been looking into my family's spiritual heritage and discovering how dysfunctional the Body can become when we lose our Fathers. Not just our Fathers biologically, but our spiritual Fathers. Who are they and how do we recognize them?
God is Love. That would the place to start. A Fathers heart is motivated by love. This person may or may not be a leader but they are a 'lover'. They understand what Paul meant when he said, 'What comes on me daily is my deep concern for all the Churches'. The Fathers heart hopes all things. As they look at their sons and daughters they genuinely HOPE that the best case scenario will happen in all circumstances. Fathers are people of Faith. Of course they have faith, but to be a Father in the Pauline sense, one must forsake the praise of people including their spiritual 'children' and be fully persuaded that the path that God has chosen for us as His children is the only option to please Him.
How many times have you heard someone say, "I have no spiritual Father. I don't feel like anybody is interested in mentoring me". If this is you, then start to serve someone you admire. You could get hurt but God will use that too. Be compassionate towards the one you choose and love them. Commit for at least a year to honour them especially and learn what it is that created that admiration you have for them.
As well as that you could ask the Holy Spirit, who needs your influence and encouragement? You could GROW UP and choose someone or several and begin to love them, hope with them and live out your faith with them. Invite them into your home and do not hide from them. When Paul said 'imitate me', this included copy my brokenness, my repentance, my humility, my choice to go in the face of fear. We have much to learn and a very gracious Father in Heaven who began the work and will complete it until it is done. I want many sons and daughters who I can say to, 'copy me because I am trying my best to copy Jesus'.
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