Rejection. I don't handle it well. It's like the kiss of death for this recovering people pleaser. But, as bad as I hate it, I have encountered it quite a bit, especially over the last several years of life.
I want to belong to something. To be accepted. Sometimes to a fault. Sometimes so much that it consumes me. Gets me off track. Distracted. Often distraught.
So, I breathed a sigh of relief this morning when I read this:
1 Peter 2:4
"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—"
When I approach Jesus, I am not coming to One who doesn't understand that empty feeling of being left out, the sting of a turned back, the ache of a push as the circle closes. No, I am approaching One who is well acquainted with rejection.
But, in this I find hope. Jesus' rejection qualified Him for the cross. Multiple times in the Old Testament, it was prophesied that he would be "despised and rejected." (Is. 53) It was as if the rejection was one of his qualifications for the Cross.
So, could it be that the rejection that I experience could be qualifying me for a calling on my life? Could it mean that I stop wallowing in my victimization and embrace the very thing that God could use to prepare me for what is next?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Monday, August 29, 2011
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8 comments:
Love this post! The last paragraph really spoke to me in my current situation. I'm waiting on Him . . . Thank you for the encouragement :)
Rejected yet chosen. He is taking you deeper. Can't wait to see what's next!
Cheerin' over here,
Mama Lu
Thought provoking, Carol. I really need to ponder these thoughts. Thank you.
Elaine
Carol, I love your words. So encouraging and challenging at the same time! It is often the things that we think disqualify us from our calling that actually make us just the one for the job. :)
Girl, get out of my head! I've been living in just this space for the past year. I'm sure you could tell from BOTH of my eval speeches at SS ;-) I've experienced a season of intense rejection. As an adult I ran from rejection because I was afraid. Let me tell you it's TIRING feeling like you have to do everything just right, or else everyone will stop loving you! Now, that the worst has clearly already happened I've learned a TON about myself and the myriad of ways I reject Christ when I don't place Him ahead of every other relationship in my life. With Jesus in His rightful place rejection becomes much less powerful. It still stings but no longer reaches the deepest places inside my heart. That spot is filled with too much Jesus! Truly, I feel like a captive set free!!! I think I'll always wrestle with fear of rejection but definitely feel like the back of this stronghold has been broken. And it only could have happened walking hand in hand with Jesus THROUGH the fire, not around it.
I feel like I could write "Rejection for Dummies." God has been hammering me extra hard on this. Maybe, just maybe, it's starting to sink in.
His acceptance is the only sure thing.
I recently have dealt with A LOT of rejection! The Lord gave me a dream a couple of months ago that truly ministered to my heart regarding the rejection in this world, but how awesome being chosen by HIM!! Thank you so much for your post...again, I have been ministered to, when I seem to find rejection around every corner!
I have writen a few posts on thsi subject myself. I am almost 50 and it has taken until recently to put myself out there as the fear of rejection kept me from pursuing the things I really wanted. I take comfort now, that even if I am rejected by men, it really doesn't matter because I am accepted by the ONE who does matter.
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