Whose Are You?
Moving From Rejection to Acceptance with One Choice
Is it possible to move from rejection to acceptance with one choice? Many of us have dealt with rejection or abandonment our entire lives. How is it possible to feel loved and embraced rather than rejected and abandoned. It all stems on whose you are. Stick with me, I’ve got great news for you.
Whose are you?
No, it’s not a typo, I didn’t mean to ask WHO are you. I am asking, WHOSE are you? Let me explain why I ask.
We were privileged to attend an adoption ceremony recently. A family in our church, who have fostered the children for years, were given the right to adopt them last week.
My brother was adopted into our family when I was six, and I was adopted by my stepfather when I was an adult. So, this adoption ceremony brought back a lot of memories and flooded me with emotion.
Adopt:
1. chose to legally take another’s child and bring it up as one’s own.
2. to assume or accept (an attitude or position).
3. formally approve or accept.
Embrace. Accept. Choose. Pick. Appoint.
Abandon. Reject.
Most times, there is rejection and abandonment, before there is acceptance, approval, embracing.
When my stepfather (my Dad!) adopted me, it was a joyous day! I was an adult, and it was essentially an “unnecessary” document, considering I was no longer a minor. But to me and my Dad, it was completely necessary. It marked the end of abandonment and rejection by my biological father, and the beginning of a “forever family.”
(If you want to read more about my story with my Dad, see this post)
My Dad had always been a Father to me, since I was very young. But making it legal helped us to solidify that we truly belonged to each other.
Now, back to my original question….
Whose are you?
To whom do you belong? Your brain could be taking you to all kinds of people and things….your spouse, your parents, your kids, your boss….your vice.
Have you ever said to yourself, “I belong to God.?”
I belong to GOD.
And, ohhhh, the celebration I feel as I say that! I belong to God! I am a child of God.
He ADOPTED me to be His very own.
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption. So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” – Galatians 4:4-5 & 7
Before I welcomed Jesus into my life, I felt abandoned and rejected. I was trying to gain acceptance and perfect love from people, from work, from vices. But they all failed to fill a hole that only God could fill.
Don’t get me wrong, the (healthy) people in our life are a wonderful blessing. I am so happy to have my “forever family Dad” and my awesome husband…both have adopted me, accepted and embraced me into their family. But there is no earthly joy that compares to the eternal joy of being adopted into my heavenly Father’s family.
With God as my heavenly Father, I am no longer EVER abandoned or rejected.
Once I rejected my need for people’s acceptance and abandoned my arrogance, selfish motives, and controlling plans, I was able to open my heart and mind to see how much God loves me and wants His very best for me. In that moment, I was ME. Like, the real me. The one I knew was in there, deep down, but could never truly find on my own.
In the same way that God has adopted me into His family, I have chosen to adopt His ways in my life.
In the same way that God has adopted me into His family, I have chosen to adopt His ways in my life. -Lisa Goldberg
I assume the role of Christ-follower and I accept His plan for my life.
Most especially, I embrace my place in His world, here and in eternity (the ultimate forever family!).
Have you been adopted into God’s family?
Whose are you?
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