HANDLING HURTS 2: THE PAINS OF A FATHER

The elderly man looked at me and said, “What kind of son does that? I made up my mind that I would have nothing to do with him. He is a useless son. All the things he has done with his money are already depreciating. Even when I was sick, I refused to touch anything that belonged to him”. 

He told them that they should not even use anything that belonged to his son to carry him if they did not want to see him die. Those were the words of a hurting father. He had been disappointed by his son. I could see the hurt in his eyes. 

There are hurting parents. They have expectations of their wards but they see otherwise. It has left a wound on them. We have examples in the scriptures too:

Noah cursed his grandson because his son saw his nakedness and refused to cover it but rather went to broadcast it. 

And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

Genesis 9:20‭-‬22 NKJV

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When Noah woke up, he placed a curse on Canaan, the son of Ham. 

Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.”

Genesis 9:25 NKJV

There was another father who was terribly pained by the act of his first son. He laid a curse on him. 

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch.

Genesis 49:3‭-‬4 NKJV

The father kept quiet for years until he exploded with a curse 

And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

Genesis 35:22 NKJV

Jacob kept quiet for many years. He spoke up eventually and placed a curse on Reuben. 

Beloved ones, honour for your parents is a must. It is a terrible thing for your parents to be sighing in worries and pain over you. 

A dear one made a call in a meeting for those who had issues with their parents, especially one that ended in a physical altercation that caused the parents to cry and say negative words. I was surprised at the number that responded.

Curses have a free flow when fathers are hurting. Do you know the last word in the Old Testament? “Curse”. Why is that so? There are hurting fathers. 

And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Malachi 4:6 NKJV

Make sure you are at peace with everyone, especially your parents! It is not a pleasant situation to be in. May you not labour under a curse. Amen. 

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa