The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 43
Adopted by My Heavenly Father
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
– Romans 8:15
My father and I lived in the same house from the day I was born until the day he died almost 12 years ago. I respected him and honoured his as a father because that is what God expects of me. What I admired about my father were that he was a quiet man. He never got in any argument or confusion with anyone. I remember there was a neighbour who would curse him out for whatever reasons and he answered her not a word. I never heard him use profanities, nor saw him use substances like alcohol or cigarette or marijuana. He was a very talented and intelligent man. I admired the way he kept the yard and planted the kitchen garden. I have grown to appreciate gardening because of my father. He never laid a hand on me nor raised his voice at me.
However, my father also did many things that caused me and I am sure also the rest of my family severe heartache and emotional pain. I blamed him for my mother’s leaving and resented him for the emotional pain he caused me. Even though my father was present in the house for me he was absent. It was as though he didn’t exist. We never bonded so we didn’t have much of a relationship and we hardly had conversations. I felt rejected and neglected by my father. Nonetheless, I craved his validation and praise, his security, his friendship, his guidance and counsel, and most importantly his love, affection, embrace and comfort.
In all my years of knowing my father he told me “I love you” once, and that was a few months before he died. I was in Barbados at university and it was December, I had decided to stay there for Christmas. My father called because he didn’t see me come home so he was just checking and before he ended the call he said to me, “I love you”. I heard him but I had absolutely no reaction to it. I wasn’t moved by it. I didn’t accept it. I didn’t believe it. I never got a chance to see him alive again after that telephone call. He died the summer of the following year as again I had stayed in Barbados for summer school that year.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:15 states, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
Most of my life I experienced grave mental health challenges because the spirit of bondage caused fear to become a constant companion which reminded me all the time that I was rejected and neglected by my parents. However, God has set me free from the spirit of bondage by giving me His Spirit of adoption. Therefore, I can call Him Abba, Father or Daddy or Papa. Yet it was difficult for me to receive His Spirit of adoption because my perception of God was distorted as I compared Him to my earthly father. I needed a revelation of God as the “Perfect Father” and that His Spirit of adoption is authentic, because God is not like man. He is true to His Word. Abba’s love and care for me as His daughter encompass all that I ever wanted from my earthly father and more. I am complete in Abba. I no longer have to fear being rejected or neglected because I am adopted by my Heavenly Father. Furthermore, in Ephesians 1:6, the Apostle Paul mentions that it is, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
You too can receive Daddy’s Spirit of adoption and be set free from the spirit of bondage which causes you to fear. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Freedom is yours today!
Shalom!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Daddy, I worship You for you are my Perfect Father and I love You with every fibre of my being. Thank you for setting me free from the spirit of bondage that caused me great fear and for giving me Your Spirit of adoption so that I can call You my Daddy. I declare that I receive Your Spirit of adoption therefore, I am not rejected and neglected as the enemy had me believe for so long but I am adopted, accepted in the beloved and free indeed. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ mighty name with thanksgiving. Amen!
