Kingdom MasculinitySample

Day 1: What’s Missing in Men?

If you were to ask, “What is wrong with men?” the world would have no shortage of answers. Some say men are too passive; others, too aggressive. Some argue men have lost their strength, while others believe they have wielded it recklessly. But perhaps the better question isn’t what is wrong, but what is missing?

Masculinity, as designed by God, was never meant to be a problem to solve but a strength to steward. Pulled between cultural caricatures and personal wounds, men often struggle to know who they are. Some were never shown. Others were taught distorted versions through absent fathers, broken authority, or a media that either glorifies domination or mocks manhood altogether.

At the heart of this struggle is a deep ache, a longing for direction, identity, and validation. God created men in His image, reflecting His strength, protection, and love. But when men don’t know who they are, we often withdraw into passivity or overcompensate with aggression. Neither leads to wholeness.

Men have tried to reclaim masculinity through self-improvement, success, or societal approval, only to find these pursuits leave us feeling empty. True restoration happens when men return to the One who designed them. Jesus, the ultimate example of masculinity, was both warrior and servant, lion and lamb. He led with strength yet walked in humility. He confronted injustice yet wept with compassion. He called men into something deeper, not just performance or power, but sonship. He was strong enough to confront darkness and gentle enough to wash the feet of His friends.

Many of us bear the scars of broken masculinity. Some wounds were dealt by a father who never saw us, a coach who shamed us, a culture that lied to us. Yet God, as a true and good Father, speaks a better word. He doesn’t demand more performance. He invites deeper becoming. He calls us back to the ground He first gave us (Romans 8:15), to walk as sons who know they are beloved.

But this journey isn’t one meant to be traveled alone. Just as Frodo needed Sam, just as the disciples needed each other, we are meant to fight for and with one another. Real strength isn’t self-reliance, it’s leaning into God and trusting the brothers He places alongside us.

Masculinity is not toxic. It is sacred. And when a man walks in the fullness of who God created him to be, the world is blessed: families are protected, communities are healed, and the Kingdom advances.

Like a warrior reclaiming lost ground, men must confront the lies they’ve believed about themselves. They must ask the hard questions: What has shaped my view of masculinity? Where have I lost my way? And most importantly, what does God say about me? Let’s do that now with our Time Alone with God questions below:

As you ponder all this with God today, consider asking Him:

Father, where have I misunderstood masculinity? What has shaped my view of what it means to be a man?

Jesus, how do you see me? What strengths have you placed in me that I have ignored or distorted?

Holy Spirit, where have I been wounded in my identity as a man? What lies am I believing that keep me from fully stepping into who you’ve called me to be?