There is one thing that most people experience usually more than once in their lives, and that’s rejection. The definition of rejection is “the refusal to take, accept or recognise.” Anyone who has applied for a job and had their application rejected, tried out for a team and failed to be chosen, not been accepted or felt like they didn’t belong when with family, friends, workmates or any other social setting, or who has liked/loved someone and has not had their feelings reciprocated, will understand what rejection feels like.
Rejection stings, and it can really hurt. We can feel criticised and a failure, which can then cause us to begin to doubt our self worth.
Refection can also make us feel very vulnerable. Everyone wants to feel secure, but after we’ve suffered a rejection our sense of security can be threatened, and we may feel abandoned, fragile, scared and/or hopeless.
However the truth is that other people’s rejection does not mean we are unlovable, worthless or a failure. But we can allow rejection to determine how we feel, and then allow that feeling to determine what we believe about who we are. Or we can choose to let go of the sting of rejection and instead believe something else about ourselves, rather than I’m not good enough, or I’m unlovable, unemployable, unacceptable etc.
What is it that we can believe? When we accept Jesus into our lives and choose to follow Him we are defined as being born again into God’s family, and therefore blessed with every spiritual blessing. Regardless of what anyone else may have said about us, He says we are accepted and loved unconditionally by Him. When we take time listening and being with Him, and reading the promises in His Word, it brings comfort and clarity to every situation, especially when we have suffered from rejection.
We may still suffer failures and disappointments, or be rejected by others, but God makes it possible for us to walk through these disappointments in life because He gives us the provision of His love, grace and comfort to get past these hurts. The more we know how much we are loved and cared for by Him, the less harm to our hearts, minds and souls rejection is able to cause. Knowing God and who He is, enables us to not be defined or damaged by others opinion of us, because we realize that He loves us unconditionally, absolutely and completely, and He has an amazing plan for our lives.
Any rejection we may experience when viewed from this perspective of already being accepted and loved by God is then just a momentary bump in the road. We have the choice to either allow that bump to derail us and cause us to walk around wounded, bitter and broken, or we can choose to claim the blessings and love we have as one of God’s own family, and move forward in forgiveness, love, hope and His strength.
Don’t allow rejection to determine who you are, but allow God’s acceptance to redirect you to His love and plan for better things ahead.
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son”. (Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT)
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1)
Prayer: Lord thank you that you accept and love me. Help me to not allow other people’s rejection of me to dictate how I feel, or what I believe about myself. I choose to believe what you say about me today, and to keep your word and promises in my heart and thoughts today. In Jesus Name Amen.
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