One of the Most Frustrating Things about Being the Head of the House

God has stated that the man is to be the head of the household. In a home where God’s plan is followed, every person has a vital role, but the final decisions rest with the husband. Of course, a godly husband understands that he is under the ultimate authority of Christ, so he dare not be a cruel dictator in the home.

With that headship, though, comes dramatic responsibility. The weight of all those decisions rests on his shoulders. A godly husband understands that he will give account to God Almighty for how he has led his home. It is, without a doubt, a daunting task.

And there are frustrations with it. He wants to do well, but he knows he cannot be perfect. He wants his home to be godly, peaceful, kind, welcoming, nurturing, and so many other good and positive things.

…and some days just stink.

There are days when he just does not think he can do it anymore. No, he isn’t thinking of leaving, but he just thinks about sitting on the couch and doing nothing; about mentally and emotionally checking out. After all, that’s easier than trying to carry the weight of responsibility.

When does he feel this way? It is when the problems are ones that are deeper than surface-level.

He sees his wife frustrated.

He knows his children are struggling emotionally.

He feels that his daughter’s heart is broken.

He understands there is stress abounding in his teenage son.

And what is the reaction of this godly head of the household? He is frustrated. In fact, he is frustrated not just because these things are present in the home, but he is frustrated in a way that those who are not the head of a household simply cannot fully understand.

His frustration is this: as a man, he is, by nature, a problem solver and a fixer…and he knows he can’t easily fix this.

There is no tool at Lowe’s that will mend a broken heart.

There isn’t a piece of machinery from Home Depot that will help calm his wife’s heart.

He has found easy fixes for things before, but these issues have no easy solution. It isn’t that he is against hard work. In fact, as a man of God, he works very hard. It is simply that, when it comes to trying to help in this area, he does not know how to most easily and efficiently fix things. He is out of his comfort zone, and he is frustrated because he loves these people so much, and he so much wants to help, but he is not even sure of the first step to take.

(After all, there’s not even an instruction manual for all this!)

So, the next time your husband seems to have eyes glazed over as if he isn’t listening; the next time your dad seems to be in a distant place and you think he isn’t hearing you; when you think he is just not connecting; remember this: if he is a man of God, he is having a fight with himself.

He is so desperately wanting to help fix the problem, but he knows it will take a great deal of work in an area in which he is not naturally equipped.

He is trying to see the end result of fixing the problem, but he cannot figure out what step one is.

He is hurting for you…because you are part of him, and he can’t stand it that those under his care are hurting.

In other words, he is doing his human-level best to be a man of God, and he is realizing–again–that he is woefully inadequate…

…but as a man of God, he is going to try.

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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn

Photo background credit: Michael Clesle on Creative Commons