Quinnise Shares a Glimpse of Our Father in Difficult Times

When life is hard, we are most likely to question God’s love and faithfulness. As long as things are going well, it is easy to trust that He is a loving Father who truly cares for us. But when difficulties arise, our view and understanding of Him are challenged, causing us to wonder if He really is who He says He is. But if we look closely, we can see glimpses of His character that can only be discovered when times are tough. 

In this interview, I talked with my friend, Quinnise Pettway, about her journey of coming to know and understand the role and character of God as our Heavenly Father, especially in difficult times. She shared a truth-filled perspective that will encourage you to take comfort in the love and promises of God, our Father. May this interview inspire you to not only look TO Him when difficulties arise, but to also look FOR Him as He reveals evidence of His presence in your circumstances. My interview questions are shown in bold, and Quinnise’s responses are shown in italics. You can read more about Quinnise and find ways to connect in her bio at the end of this interview.

QUINNISE’S JOURNEY OF COMING TO KNOW GOD AS FATHER

Please share a little about your journey of discovering the role and character of God as our Heavenly Father and what made you specifically focus on this aspect of Him.

I grew up in the church and remember hearing about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and reciting “The Lord’s Prayer” (which, of course, starts with the words ‘Our Father’), but I never really had an in-depth study of God the Father. It wasn’t until the birth of my first child that God began to reveal Himself as Father. I would notice phrases she would say or my responses and how those mimicked my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Something clicked at that point (becoming a parent and interacting with my daughter). The light bulb went off. I saw that just as I love my child and want what is best for her; my Heavenly Father is the same way with me. Just as I tell my child to be patient, and I am working behind the scenes, so is my Heavenly Father. The more interactions I had with my child, the more I saw our Heavenly Father.

What fears, mindsets, and misconceptions have you had to overcome in order to know and understand God as your Father? 

Before truly grasping God’s nature, one fear or misconception was that God’s sole purpose was to tell me what to do, and if I made a mistake, rain down consequences for my sins. I have now learned that our Father gives us instructions as His children because He loves us, knows what is best, sees the big picture, and can even see dangers and troubles that we cannot see. So, when God says to do certain things, He says it for our benefit and not to harm us. His Word confirms that in Jeremiah 29:11 by saying that God has plans to prosper and not harm us, to give us hope and a future. I also learned that God disciplines us because He loves us, just as we discipline our earthly children. Even if that discipline doesn’t seem pleasant at the time, He is doing it to build our character and to help us look more like Him (Hebrews 12:6).

A GLIMPSE OF OUR FATHER IN DIFFICULT TIMES

What have you learned about the character of our Heavenly Father in difficult times? 

I have learned that one aspect of God’s character is consistent. He is ever-present. He is with me in times of trouble. He never leaves me nor forsakes me. Just as Psalm 23:4 reminds us, even though we may go through the darkest valley, God is with us and there to comfort us. We are also reminded He is our refuge, strength, and very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Being His child does not make us immune to experiencing difficulties, but we can rest confidently knowing that He is there and understands. Therefore, we can rely on His strength and shelter during challenging circumstances.

How have difficult circumstances impacted the way you approach, relate to, and trust in our Heavenly Father?

Difficult circumstances have drawn me closer to our Heavenly Father. He reminds me in His Word that I can give Him all my cares and worries because He cares about me (1 Peter 5:7). Casting my cares looks like praying honestly, specifically, and transparently about how I feel, what I am experiencing, and what I need from Him. I can approach my Father boldly (Hebrews 4:16) because I realize He is my Father. Complicated situations have also forced me to trust God because I knew that challenges that seemed never-ending or insurmountable could only be overcome, lessened, or removed by God. One example of that recently was getting through the pandemic. I had to rely on God through all the unpredictability, uncertainty, and changes we encountered these past few years. Thankfully, as He always does, He is bringing us through this season as some sense of normalcy resumes.

EMBRACING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN DIFFICULT TIMES

What changes have you seen in your life as a result of embracing Him as your Heavenly Father? 

I have seen more freedom, clarity, and confidence. Since I know that I belong to God, I don’t have to worry about what others think or what is happening around me. I have gained even more clarity about who I am. I know that I am His child, whom He loved enough to send His only Son to die for while I was still a sinner (John 3:16 and Romans 5:8). I have gained more confidence in walking in His plan and purpose for me because I know He is for me. I have learned to rely on His Word even more for directions and am confident that He will keep His promises to direct my path and order my steps. I have seen that giving Him my “yes” has led me to see more than I could ever imagine in my finite mind (Ephesians 3:20).

Many times, when going through difficulties and challenges, we tend to overlook or forget the truth of who God is and who we are in Him. What encouragement would you offer to help women embrace the truth about their Heavenly Father and their role as His child as they navigate difficult seasons of life? 

Difficult times can feel heavy and unbearable. They can also feel never-ending. My encouragement is to remember that God is with you, and our challenges do not catch Him by surprise. He hears your cries and sees your tears. He promises never to leave you, and although we will have troubles in the world, we can find hope that He has overcome the world (John 16:33). I know life may not feel like it sometimes, but our Father can and is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28). Not just positive experiences, not just exciting times, but even in the deepest, darkest, most challenging circumstances, our promise-keeping Father is working those out for your good. Nothing falls outside of the scope of ALL. With that being said, our Father is trustworthy. You can lean and depend on Him to be your strength and grace in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Finally, you can take all your worries, cares, and concerns to God in prayer with complete honesty. He is waiting and listening to you, His beautiful daughter.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR WOMEN WITH FATHER WOUNDS

What encouragement would you offer to women who have been wounded or abandoned by their earthly fathers and women who have lost their earthly fathers? 

While our earthly fathers may fail us or might have already transitioned, our Heavenly Father has a beautiful solution. He reminds us that He is a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). We are also reminded in Exodus 3:14 that God is I Am. This passage means that God wants to be everything we need Him to be. Bring Him your wounds so He can fill you with His unconditional, ever-present, all-powerful love. God will not abandon you, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to separate yourself from his abounding love (Romans 8:38-39). He wants a flourishing relationship with you and desires to meet every one of your needs. You are not forgotten. God sees you, and you are precious in His sight.

Are there any resources you would recommend to help women better understand their Heavenly Father and His love for them? 

Is there anything else you want our readers to know? 

I pray that you walk away from reading this interview knowing more confidently that you are a child of the Creator of the universe. He loves you unconditionally. He wants a thriving and close-knit relationship with you. He calls you His child (Galatians 3:26) and is ready and willing to be all that you need Him to be through the highs and lows of your life.

CONCLUSION

This concludes my interview with Quinnise. What a powerful testament to the nature and character of our Heavenly Father! I love how Quinnise shared and reiterated the constant presence of God, our Father, with us through the joys and sorrows of life. The assurance of His presence and the multi-dimensions of His power are promises we can all cling to in the difficulties of life! I pray this interview with Quinnise has encouraged your heart and given you a passion to know more about your Heavenly Father so that you can experience Him in deeper ways. I encourage you to connect with Quinnise and to utilize the resources she offers to help broaden your glimpse of our Heavenly Father. There’s so much to know about Him!

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