Adopted by God

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 NLT

We have been called the children of God. He has adopted us into his family, made us an heir with Christ, yet how often do we forget that? How easy is it to sing the song “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God” and yet bind ourselves up in the chains of fear because we know fear. Why is it we act like we are still orphans spiritually?

Children adopted from an orphanage often have difficulties integrating into a family. They may horde food, or be unable to consider sharing because the item they have is theirs. They may have a difficult time attaching to a parent. It is not just children in orphanages where this behavior is seen, but for some it is more obvious with these children. Children in foster care often have similar issues, they may have a difficult time trusting the foster parent, attaching to the foster parent, they may hide food in their room, or push the parent to their limits testing any and all boundaries, they may even try and push the parent away.  For these children these are learned coping skills, that have kept them safe for now.

Where do we see ourselves in this as children adopted by God? How often do we hold on to what we have with clenched fists because we are afraid of being without? How many times have we tried to push God away? How often do we not trust that God is for us and not against us? Or when we don’t trust that He will protect us? It seems to me in a lot of ways we as the church act much like these children with our father God. We like these children do not understand who we are in God. We think that He is like the hurtful people that are all around us each and everyday. I know in my own life, I have had seasons where I have pushed God away because I did not trust Him, I did not think He knew what was best for me. Looking back now, I see that He was mending a wound, but all I felt was the pain. As a good parent, God mends our wounds, which sometimes hurts in the process. He takes things away from us that are hurtful to us, or that are keeping us from being who we are created to be.

Doesn’t a good parent mend their children’s wounds, physically? Don’t they use the peroxide, to clean out a scraped knee? Sometimes the peroxide hurts and bubbles and looks scary, but that is because it is cleaning out the dirt and germs and infection.  Sometimes when we fall we need more than just some peroxide and a bandaid right? Sometimes stitches are needed, those hurt.

Just as a good parent mends their child’s physical wounds, God mends our spiritual and emotional wounds. I know for me, when God is mending those wounds I get a little upset with Him, I try and push Him away or I try and run away because it does not feel good.  I know in my head that it is for the good but when their is pain we have this natural inclination to avoid it. These are the moments where I have a difficult time acting like an adopted daughter of the King, and remembering that He is for me, not against me. That He loves me. I am blessed with some amazing people in my life that remind me of who I am and of who God is when I seem to forget. This helps me to get myself back on track.  When do you find yourself forgetting who you are in Christ? Do you have people that can remind you of who you are in Christ?

Today I encourage you if you do not have people in your life that speak the truth of who you are in Christ to you that you get connected. We need each other. Just as someone may need to remind me, there are times where I am needed to remind them of who they are in Christ. Feel free to connect with me. I would love to help you on your journey!