Reject Rejection
A couple weeks ago I was talking with a young woman who told me she was struggling with feelings of rejection. She had applied for one position after another hoping to get a promotion at her workplace, but the response was always the same: "No."
She eventually started looking to friends for emotional support, only to discover they had negative comments for her too: "Stop embarrassing yourself!" a friend chided. "There are other people in the company more suited for the position than you."
I couldn't find one word in my spiritual arsenal powerful enough to convince the woman she wasn't a failure, but later that week I came across a book written by my good friend Joyce L. Rodgers titled Fatal Distractions. Joyce's story of rejection and the victory she discovered at the hands of a praying grandmother got my friend back on track.
I hope no one reading this blog is battling rejection, but if you are, I've included an excerpt from Fatal Distractions to help you get victory, too:
"Come here, Joyce. 'I have to give you a ticket for free lunch,' the teacher announced. 'Your parents have enrolled you in the Title 21 Lunch Program. That means you get free lunches, and they don't have to pay for them. I'll be giving you a ticket every week.'
"I nodded and took the ticket, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me. I started to turn away and go back to my seat, but her unfriendly brown eyes bored into mine. 'You'll never amount to anything. You'll never get out of the projects. You'll always be one of those people with your hand out, looking for a free ride.'
"My teacher told me I would never get out of the projects, and I believed her. I accepted her rejection as valid, and from that moment on, I began to look at myself through her eyes instead of God's.
"Unfortunately, I had come face to face with the ugly reality of rejection for the first time. I had been officially labeled—from then on I was a project kid.
"I am so grateful to God that His grace did not permit me to live my entire life under a cloud of rejection. Things began to change when I moved in with Big Mama (my grandmother on my mother's side.) Big Mama didn't have any better sense than to believe that, regardless of our poverty and social status, we were the people God said we were, and that was that!
"Slowly but surely, through her love and by the sheer power of the Word, Big Mama eradicated the fatal distraction of rejection from my life. Against all odds, I went on to become a cheerleader and the homecoming queen, and I was even voted 'most popular' in my senior class! I eventually graduated from college and have traveled all over the world.
"Woman of God, are you plagued by the fatal distraction of rejection? Have you taken ownership of the disparaging things that have been said about you and attributed the rejection of others to be rejection by God as well? I say to you, not so! Choose this day to say and believe only what God says about you."
Like Joyce, you may have suffered tremendous pain from rejection. But you can be set free, just as she was. Start today. Take a walk through the Bible and let the Word of God transform your thinking. He loves you.
She eventually started looking to friends for emotional support, only to discover they had negative comments for her too: "Stop embarrassing yourself!" a friend chided. "There are other people in the company more suited for the position than you."
I couldn't find one word in my spiritual arsenal powerful enough to convince the woman she wasn't a failure, but later that week I came across a book written by my good friend Joyce L. Rodgers titled Fatal Distractions. Joyce's story of rejection and the victory she discovered at the hands of a praying grandmother got my friend back on track.
I hope no one reading this blog is battling rejection, but if you are, I've included an excerpt from Fatal Distractions to help you get victory, too:
"Come here, Joyce. 'I have to give you a ticket for free lunch,' the teacher announced. 'Your parents have enrolled you in the Title 21 Lunch Program. That means you get free lunches, and they don't have to pay for them. I'll be giving you a ticket every week.'
"I nodded and took the ticket, wishing the floor would open up and swallow me. I started to turn away and go back to my seat, but her unfriendly brown eyes bored into mine. 'You'll never amount to anything. You'll never get out of the projects. You'll always be one of those people with your hand out, looking for a free ride.'
"My teacher told me I would never get out of the projects, and I believed her. I accepted her rejection as valid, and from that moment on, I began to look at myself through her eyes instead of God's.
"Unfortunately, I had come face to face with the ugly reality of rejection for the first time. I had been officially labeled—from then on I was a project kid.
"I am so grateful to God that His grace did not permit me to live my entire life under a cloud of rejection. Things began to change when I moved in with Big Mama (my grandmother on my mother's side.) Big Mama didn't have any better sense than to believe that, regardless of our poverty and social status, we were the people God said we were, and that was that!
"Slowly but surely, through her love and by the sheer power of the Word, Big Mama eradicated the fatal distraction of rejection from my life. Against all odds, I went on to become a cheerleader and the homecoming queen, and I was even voted 'most popular' in my senior class! I eventually graduated from college and have traveled all over the world.
"Woman of God, are you plagued by the fatal distraction of rejection? Have you taken ownership of the disparaging things that have been said about you and attributed the rejection of others to be rejection by God as well? I say to you, not so! Choose this day to say and believe only what God says about you."
Like Joyce, you may have suffered tremendous pain from rejection. But you can be set free, just as she was. Start today. Take a walk through the Bible and let the Word of God transform your thinking. He loves you.
posted by Valerie G. Lowe at
1:28 PM
5 Comments:
wHEN WE DRIVE OUR CARS YOU EVER NOTICE WE HAVE A HUGE WINDSHIELD TO LOOK THROUGH. Now take note of this fact; notice how small our rear view mirror is. The bible in romans reminds us that we are to tranform the way we think daily. Stop looking behind and press forward. When a door closes, know that god will open another door, if the second doors still closes, know that god will open the window for you. Thats the favor of god. We are his bloodline. If he is our King then we are to draw up from the royal line and believe we are royallty. Pete@PeteRodriguez.Com
So true! Yes the most simple thing that will drive people to repent is the LOVE of God. Once we get that, we can get over anything. Amen. Well done Val!
Pam Perry
www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com
Thanks for the reminder of God's 'unconditional love'. We have heard that term so long that the true meaning of it is lost - and sometimes lost the quickest in the company of those 'we love' that act-out and say things that COULD destroy the belief in that love. I will not allow that - because I have and choose to live in THE MIND OF CHRIST. I have had MANY opportunities in my 65 yrs. to receive those words - even in the last 24 hrs. BUT GOD! He loves me unconditionally and will NOT change His mind. Hallelujah!
Greetings -
First, it is important to state that we are commanded by God to love because He is love....
Often the people who reject others do so because they find it easier to focus on what is outward rather than to deal with the fears/pains that they experience inwardly.
I rode the bus one day with an acquaintance who expressed what was wrong with numerous people that he knew. He belittled, criticized and judged them. After patiently listening to him relate what was wrong with others, I calmly asked him, "What is wrong with you?" He did not respond but got up and moved. I was not offended - in fact, I was relieved that he moved. He could not handle the question because he could not handle the answers. His inner issues were too painful to deal with so he channeled his energies to a focus of the issues with others. I loved him then, and I love him now. But I had to speak the truth in love as God's word instructs.
Christ was rejected - still he rose again.
We need to stay mindful what Psalm 37 states that we are not to fret.
And that the Devil seeks to devour. That is why it is so imperative for us to stay God and word-focused with continual fear of God, and hearts dedicated to obedience to Him.
We must love those who reject us and remember that such were some of us until God in His mercy changed and transformed...
Rejection hurts, disables,paralyzes, makes us afraid, discourages, divides... but it cannot separate any of us from the love of God.Our God will never reject his children and this gives comfort and peace to us who believe in God's mighty,unconditional love. In response, we ought to love God with all of our heart, all of our body,all of our soul,all of our mind,and all of our strength. Everyone may have suffered rejection one way or the other but your response to rejection is which counts most. Pray for those who rejected you.Always give thanks to the Lord in any circumstance for the Lord's plans are always better and rejoice!for we have a great God.
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