Rejection always hurts. No matter how strong you think you are rejection always cuts us to the core. We experience rejection on a regular basis as human beings. Many of us end up feeling a lot like this crushed and broken rose left abandoned on the pavement. How do we deal with this constant bombardment of rejection?
When we are rejected by the people we love and respect it hits us very deeply, and we then start wondering why they would reject us. What did we do wrong? Wasn't I good enough? The questions go unanswered, and we start to feel worse and worse about ourselves. We then find ourselves in a pit of hurt and despair. We wonder how things ever got this way. It is only when we realize that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, but only what God thinks and what we think, that really matters. With this realization, we can break free from the downward spiral that usually results from rejection.
When we know who we are and who God created us to be, we see rejection the way Christ did. Jesus was rejected time and time again, yet it never defeated him. He had bigger things to focus on. He knew who he was and what he was created for, so he focused on God and his ministry. He focused on those in his life that embraced him, and wanted to walk with him. What a great picture of what we need to do. We need to focus on those who embrace us, support us, love us, and believe in us. If we put our focus on those people and someone rejects us, we will see all of the others in our lives that haven't.
Now I am sure some of you are asking and what happens when someone who has been there for us decides to reject us. Well, Jesus had that happen too. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. Jesus response to that was not to condemn him but when Peter was remorseful Jesus restored him. WOW! If we follow his example we are to forgive, and continue to love them. When they come back we are not to throw it in their face that they should have never rejected us to begin with but we are to restore them. This is not easy! Yet, all through Jesus teachings, we are called to forgive and love. Jesus demonstrated this in everything he did and said. He lived out what he spoke. People saw his heart and wanted to follow him. Jesus will never reject you!
God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b - "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” People judge by looks and our actions, however God knows our heart. He is the only one that never misunderstands us.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." When we are hurting, God is there for us. He wants to comfort us and heal us every time we feel pain.
The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them. John 6:37 - "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." Jesus will never reject you. He is just waiting for us to come to him.
God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to others, be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. Do all these things; but most important, love each other. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 - "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." No matter who has hurt you it is time to love them and forgive them.
Isn't it nice to know that even if the entire planet of people rejected us (which is extremely unlikely) if we just come to Jesus, he will never reject us. Focus on this thought the next time someone rejects you, come and rest in Jesus' loving arms.
When we are rejected by the people we love and respect it hits us very deeply, and we then start wondering why they would reject us. What did we do wrong? Wasn't I good enough? The questions go unanswered, and we start to feel worse and worse about ourselves. We then find ourselves in a pit of hurt and despair. We wonder how things ever got this way. It is only when we realize that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, but only what God thinks and what we think, that really matters. With this realization, we can break free from the downward spiral that usually results from rejection.
When we know who we are and who God created us to be, we see rejection the way Christ did. Jesus was rejected time and time again, yet it never defeated him. He had bigger things to focus on. He knew who he was and what he was created for, so he focused on God and his ministry. He focused on those in his life that embraced him, and wanted to walk with him. What a great picture of what we need to do. We need to focus on those who embrace us, support us, love us, and believe in us. If we put our focus on those people and someone rejects us, we will see all of the others in our lives that haven't.
Now I am sure some of you are asking and what happens when someone who has been there for us decides to reject us. Well, Jesus had that happen too. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. Jesus response to that was not to condemn him but when Peter was remorseful Jesus restored him. WOW! If we follow his example we are to forgive, and continue to love them. When they come back we are not to throw it in their face that they should have never rejected us to begin with but we are to restore them. This is not easy! Yet, all through Jesus teachings, we are called to forgive and love. Jesus demonstrated this in everything he did and said. He lived out what he spoke. People saw his heart and wanted to follow him. Jesus will never reject you!
God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b - "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” People judge by looks and our actions, however God knows our heart. He is the only one that never misunderstands us.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." When we are hurting, God is there for us. He wants to comfort us and heal us every time we feel pain.
The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them. John 6:37 - "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." Jesus will never reject you. He is just waiting for us to come to him.
God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to others, be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. Do all these things; but most important, love each other. Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 - "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." No matter who has hurt you it is time to love them and forgive them.
Isn't it nice to know that even if the entire planet of people rejected us (which is extremely unlikely) if we just come to Jesus, he will never reject us. Focus on this thought the next time someone rejects you, come and rest in Jesus' loving arms.
