Rejection is a painful word. It may bring up some hurtful memories or circumstances just by saying it. Rejection is never fun and some of us, including me have faced rejection many times.
Rejection with a job or an opportunity, rejection from friends, rejection from a boy (or girl), rejection of your options or beliefs, or rejection from a family member. All of which hurt and are a painful process to walk through.
No one likes rejection or seeks out ways to be rejected. Sometimes we are able to look back on rejection that has happened and see the beauty that has come from it, but in the moment it always hurts.
Recently I read a book about Rejection and feeling less than or lonely or unwanted. It was titled Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. The whole book was about walking through past or current circumstances that have left you feeling rejected or unwanted. Then during these times, allowing God’s truths to cover you and not letting lies creep in. Whether the rejection was intentional or unintentional there are always lies that follow the feeling of being unwanted.
A big truth Lysa walked me through as a reader was the idea of living loved. This is establishing my identity in what God says about me over what the world says about me. If I lived by my rejection then I would be living unwanted, unneeded, misplaced, and not good enough. But because I’m deeply rooted in Christ and what He says about me I can be living loved, pursued, faithful, desired, and wanted.
Over the past year I have faced 3 big rejections. One with an opportunity, one with a job, and one with a relationship. All that have left my spirit feeling a little crushed. All that had me questioning my decisions and why I had chosen and done the things I did. All that made me never want to put myself back out there again. Because if I don’t put myself out there then I can’t be hurt, right? No, thats not true, because Satan is here to steal, kill, and destroy; and if he can’t make me feel rejected by others, he can make me feel rejected by myself. Which I have also walked through in the past.
But thats not the point.
One of the rejections I just mentioned, I recently (as in, last night) was hit with.
Ouch.
But thankfully I just read that rejection book and feel as though I can use the fresh technics I just learned to help me. Don’t get me wrong I definitely shed some tears and had some major girl time with my team surrounding me assuring me and building me up. It hurt, it stung, and it will probably will sting for a bit longer as I fully heal. But the nice thing is, now I am a woman of God who knows who she is in her Fathers eyes. A year ago, heck even 6 months ago, if this was to have happened I would have been crushed, searching for ways to pick the pieces back up and glue them together myself. I would have been a mess and would have been searching for ways to relieve the pain with some kind of food or sin or distraction. But since being on this trip I’ve learned dependance on the Lord. I’ve learned that even though I care about something or someone and it doesn’t work out, that I have something and someone who will never walk away, never fail, never disappoint, never hurt, and never reject.
With this truth I can lean on my Father who can help me through hurt and pain and rejection. I can be fully aware of the goodness and the sovereignty of my God in the situation. And though it may hurt I know that this rejection I’m facing now is really just a closed door because God has something bigger and better in mind.
So yes, rejection absolutely sucks and I’ve faced it too many times to count, but I know in the end it all works out for the good of the Lords will. And things, friendships, opportunities, jobs, and relationships will work out in His timing as well.
My friend, if you are in a situation of being or feeling rejected and all you have is pain and hurt take a step back from the situation and call upon The Lord. Ask for His Peace to come and cover you like rushing water. One of my Grammy’s favorite songs was “It Is Well” by Bethel Music and that song helped me get through hell after the year she died. Now I’ve found that it helps me find The Lords Peace when I have none of my own like it did that year, and maybe it can help you find it too.
If any of you have ever felt rejected and also have good tips on how to deal, please comment bellow. If you have faced rejection or are facing rejection and still feel hurt and pain and need someone to talk to, please shoot me an email; [email protected]
Thanks again for reading and allowing me to share my heart and be vulnerable with you. Much Love
