We had hoped that our adoption would come with no struggles. Not true! Our sons continued to struggle with their self-worth throughout their teen years, and formed peer friendships with other boys who had similar issues. The rebellion continued to grow while we waited and prayed.

Jesus had a problem like this. He spoke openly of His kingdom and invited people to come and be a part of it. Many did. Yet they thought Jesus was talking about a visible, earthly kingdom that they longed to see the Messiah inaugurate. Get rid of the crushing Roman oppression! In reality, Jesus told them that His kingdom was in heaven, but that a day would come when He returned to establish an earthly kingdom. And we have been waiting for this two thousand years!

The “already/not yet” of Jesus’ kingdom highlights the hope that the believer in Christ has. We long for a world without sin and with perfect justice. In the same way, we longed for the day when our sons would mature to the point where they would not doubt that we loved them or that they had worth. It took longer for the latter day to arrive than we had hoped! So, our adoption (and most adoptions) was characterized by this split between our current experience and the future that we hoped for.

Even though we have been adopted by our Heavenly Father, we sometimes have the same issues. We continue to sin against Him, though often we may not want to or we may fear the consequences. We want (and ought) to show more gratitude, but we forget His goodness toward us. We are frustrated because we are so easily tempted by the desires of this world.

How have you experienced the “already/not yet” in your adoption? Please comment in the box below if this blog has helped you.