Embracing Rejection

My attitude about rejection has to change and IS being changed...

In my life, I have been rejected A LOT and I have allowed it to affect me. I have never really cared if someone I didnt care about rejected me. The painful rejections came when my heart was open and attached to the person rejecting me (my natural mother and father, my maternal grandmother, my paternal grandparents, my spiritual father, the leadership at a past fellowship, and ex-girlfriends). Those rejections affected how I viewed the world and how I reacted to the people around me.

As I have sought the LORD, I have allowed Him to cleanse me and I am at a point in this process where I now feel like He is scraping the sides of my heart to get the final little pieces of the bitterness that comes from the pain of rejection. The picture Im seeing is someone trying to get the last little bit of peanut butter out of the jar.

Where do I still behave and/or think like someone who is embittered by rejection? What I saw, when I asked myself that question, was a little scary, to be quite honest. I want to be like Jesus and I saw some things that are not like Him at all!

***I saw myself become upset when someone does something inconsiderate when driving.

***I saw myself becoming offended when someone ignores part of the Bible, just so they can continue to do what they want to do.

***I saw myself become upset when I saw "Christians" not seeking God.

That kind of stuff upsets me, it really does! With the exception of the driving thing, I could easily explain those away or quote a few Old Testament Scriptures to prove why I am justified in being upset by those things. "Come and see my zeal for the LORD," right? WRONG!!!

Jesus took all of my rejection and purchased my life during His "passion."

He, during His incarnation, took MY pain and MY shame and was despised and rejected by men for MY sake so that I could be justified (Isaiah 53). Therefore, when I gave my life to Him, MY rejection became HIS rejection and it is something that He has already borne on the cross. Jesus OWNS my life, He purchased it at an extremely high price! "...you are not your own; you were bought at a price..." (I Corinthians 6:19b-20a)

All of the rejection that I might have claimed is now His. This is the case when someone rejects part of the Word. (I Samuel 8:7) This is the case when someone I share the Gospel with rejects it. (Luke 10:16) This is the case when I feel like Im the only one who is really seeking God. (I Kings 19:14) These things are not a rejection of ME, they are a rejection of God, and I have no reason to feel rejected. God has accepted me (I Peter 2:4-10). God has loved me (I John 4:10). That is really all I need to know.

I have no life, except for my life in God

I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, it is Christ that lives in me. (Galatians 2:20) I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3) I am a new creature, because I am in Christ. The old things have passed away, and all things have become new. All things are from God. (II Corinthians 5:17-18a)

I am commanded to not be affected by rejection and bitterness

I am to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility and love. I am to forgive any grievance and be patient with everyone (including inconsiderate drivers) and do it all with the attitude that I am doing it for the LORD and not with a focus on the people. (Colossians 3) Jesus said to not resist an evil person, but to actually turn the situation around and bless them beyond what they would have even asked. He said to really LOVE them and to count yourself blessed when you are treated poorly for His sake. (Matthew 5) I am commanded to view any hardship as discipline and discipline is a gift because God wants me to share in His holiness (without holiness, no one will see the LORD). He also wants me to be trained by the hardship because at the end of the training, there is a harvest of righteousness and peace (Hebrews 12)

If I am not obedient, I am in rebellion, which the LORD calls witchcraft (I Samuel 15:23) and witchcraft is an act of the sinful nature of man - "not good," to be mild J

Obviously, my soul is affected by those things right now. This is the process... I must strive to bring my emotions, thoughts and will into a place of obedience to Him. As I do that, He will change me so that my desires line up with His. This is salvation of the soul. (Philippians 2:12-13) which is the goal of our faith (I Peter 1:9).