Definition Essay: God's Search For Meaning

Many children in our churches are taught at an early age to think of God as their heavenly Father, but that does not always work that way. When they have loving and kind-hearted parents, they can develop a loving and kind view of God. However, if they are raised in a violent family, their perception of him would be of a being that is controlling, explosive and violent. The image of a benevolent heavenly “Father” is easily replaced by the image of a “being” who cruelly hurts and controls. The god who is full of grace and goodness now perceived as untrustworthy and malevolent. Their role model for God is now abusive God, who does not care for them and only allows bad things to happen to them. They live in a place where they are constantly scared

How can they believe and regard God as Father if their father / parents abuse and harm them all their lives? If God really is the Father, who should take care of their children and protect them, how can he let this happen? However, one thing we must learn is not the will to let things happen. In a sense, every Christian learns to be more human. The Fall separates us from God and leaves us shattered and alienated from our Creator. From the beginning, God gave us free will, freedom to choose between right and wrong. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of this free will and take it the wrong way. Since God gave them free will, they thought it was okay to let the devil come to them, let them hurt and hurt others, but they were wrong. We must be God's believers. When we become believers, we are united with Christ and brought into relationship with our

Therefore, it is not surprising that child abuse often causes permanent damage to a child's sense of spirituality. Unfortunately, the child protection community mostly focuses only on overcoming the physical and emotional damage of children - making many victims struggle alone with the reality of God, and the reality of their abuse. Child abuse is a painful reminder of the fact that we live in a fallen world; However, there is hope. Jesus, who has entered our world and faced all his ugliness, said, "Let little children come to me and do not stand in their way" (Mark 10: 13-16). In taking the little children in his arms, he gives us an example and offers us his strength. In following it we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth where children are not “doomed to misfortune” (Isaiah 65:23) and where “the city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing” (Zechariah