Paper Sample on Nurturing Faith: The Impact of Family Dynamics on My Relationship with God

Families have a significant effect on an individual’s life. Families are the primary cause of a person’s victories and deepest vulnerabilities. Depending on the nature of the family, a person has the potential to do what is right and have a deeper relationship with God. According to Paat (2013), families are divine, and God designated them as fundamental blocks of society on earth and eternity. Thus, they are the foundation of civilization and a sanctuary for a person. Therefore, this paper describes how my family has influenced my relationship with God by describing my family’s dynamics, describing my relationship with God, and the connection between family dynamics and my relationship with God.

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Family dynamics describe the interactions between family members that influence family, hierarchy, values, roles, and behavior (Paat, 2013). Notably, families have a strong influence in determining how children view themselves, others, and the world. Since birth, I have learned that life’s purpose is to know and glorify God by developing an authentic relationship with him. My family has worked towards instilling the values of love and Christianity in my life.

My parents believe that children are a gift from God and that their role is to shape, raise, and prepare them for a life of service in God’s kingdom. I was baptized at a young age, and I learned the ways of God through regular visits to church on Sunday and participation in home churches, among other church activities. I learned more about God and the essential Christian values that all Christians should have in those religious activities. It is our family tradition to pray before, after meals, and before going to bed. My parents taught us the importance of love for all family members, which has been the source of our strong bonds. My parent’s role was to guide us through our journey of knowing more about Christ.

I have a close and personal relationship with God, having grown up in a Christian-like family. I always talk to God and seek his guidance throughout life’s challenges. Accordingly, communicating with God is one technique of showing one’s strong connection to him (Paat, 2013). I try as much to understand and follow God’s commandments. I often study the scriptures and show him gratitude for guiding me through each day and for his protection. Primarily, I am dependent on God and keen to abide by his teachings.

Notably, I would attribute my close and personal relationship with God to my upbringing and family dynamics. Families influence the values and beliefs of the children both directly and indirectly. Children’s principles and actions are determined by watching the parents’ interactions, the choices made in the family setting, and their ability to distinguish right from wrong. Such influences affect the development of an individual’s moral self. People are likely to behave depending on their upbringing. My close association with God resulted from the foundation of Christianity that I had when I was a child. When children are born, they are not born with expectations and values. Thus, they learn from parents and adults participating in the upbringing process. Children learn through the teachings provided by adults. They learn by watching and observing. As children grow, they comprehend the values and expectations and begin to internalize them, hence becoming an essential component of an individual’s life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the family has a substantial role in shaping an individual’s life. I am a Christian born and raised in a staunch Christ-like family. My parents always taught me how to pray, took me to churches, and taught me Christian values. Such an upbringing and family dynamics have influenced the relationship that I have with God. In particular, I always communicate and pray to God for guidance on a day-to-day basis. I have learned to be dependent on him, a trait acquired from my upbringing. The conclusion derived is that children’s values emanate from their family dynamics hence showing the importance of family in developing values and beliefs.

Reference

Paat, Y.-F. (2013). Relationship dynamics and healthy exchange across the family life cycle: Implications for practice. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 23(8), 938–953. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2013.777008