Dealing with Rejection
Psalm 27:10 - "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me" (NIV).
Isaiah 53:3 - "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (NIV).
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (NIV).
Mark 14:50-52 - "Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind" (NIV).
Romans 8:15 - "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (NIV).
We have all experienced rejection. From a rude glance to outright abuse, we know what it is to feel the pain of broken relationships through rejection. The cycle often repeats itself. The rejected ones will tend to reject others, unless Jesus' healing power breaks the cycle. The good news is that Jesus can save us from repeating history, setting us free from the bondage of rejection.
Since rejection can be such a common experience in our lives, we often tend to ignore it or push the pain deep within ourselves. Recognising the pain of rejection is the first step to walking in freedom. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of people and events in your life that were sources of rejection. The point is not digging up pain as an end in itself. When we identify the pain of rejection, we can be healed. Jesus asked the blind man in Mark 10:51 where he wanted to be healed. The blind man responded by identifying his need and was healed on the spot.
As we remember different moments of rejection in our lives, we can also notice the ways that we have responded to the rejection. Wrong responses to rejection always deepens the damage. God's response to rejection is forgiveness. But, a wrong response ends up in the rejection of others and ourselves. And the painful cycle continues. The manifestations of wrong reactions to rejection are: self-hatred, pride, inferiority, superiority, and rage. All of these mask the real pain of rejection. God has a better way for us.
After identifying the people and moments of rejection, Jesus calls us to forgive those that brought us pain. As hard as it seems, making the choice to forgive always leads to freedom. Forgiveness doesn't always deal with the pain, however. God wants to completely deal with the rejection in your life by healing your wounds. You can invite him to touch your pain and take away the sting of rejection. He waits for your invitation.
For More Study
Thoughts and Questions for Application
Memorization
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (NIV).
Isaiah 53:3 - "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (NIV).
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (NIV).
Mark 14:50-52 - "Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind" (NIV).
Romans 8:15 - "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (NIV).
We have all experienced rejection. From a rude glance to outright abuse, we know what it is to feel the pain of broken relationships through rejection. The cycle often repeats itself. The rejected ones will tend to reject others, unless Jesus' healing power breaks the cycle. The good news is that Jesus can save us from repeating history, setting us free from the bondage of rejection.
Since rejection can be such a common experience in our lives, we often tend to ignore it or push the pain deep within ourselves. Recognising the pain of rejection is the first step to walking in freedom. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of people and events in your life that were sources of rejection. The point is not digging up pain as an end in itself. When we identify the pain of rejection, we can be healed. Jesus asked the blind man in Mark 10:51 where he wanted to be healed. The blind man responded by identifying his need and was healed on the spot.
As we remember different moments of rejection in our lives, we can also notice the ways that we have responded to the rejection. Wrong responses to rejection always deepens the damage. God's response to rejection is forgiveness. But, a wrong response ends up in the rejection of others and ourselves. And the painful cycle continues. The manifestations of wrong reactions to rejection are: self-hatred, pride, inferiority, superiority, and rage. All of these mask the real pain of rejection. God has a better way for us.
After identifying the people and moments of rejection, Jesus calls us to forgive those that brought us pain. As hard as it seems, making the choice to forgive always leads to freedom. Forgiveness doesn't always deal with the pain, however. God wants to completely deal with the rejection in your life by healing your wounds. You can invite him to touch your pain and take away the sting of rejection. He waits for your invitation.
For More Study
- Isaiah 53
- Mark 14:32 - 15:41
- James 2:1-13
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- Jesus endured the greatest form of rejection on this earth. He was deserted by the ones he poured his life into. He was mocked, tortured, then murdered by his own creation. He understands the pain of rejection that we feel.
- We don't have to sort through every moment of rejection in our lives in order to be truly free. Simply, ask the Holy Spirit what he wants you to deal with right now. Identify the pain. Forgive the ones who hurt you. Then, ask for the Holy Spirit to give you his comfort and heal you.
- We have also been the source of rejection in other people's lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of people that you have rejected, whether through neglect, unkind words, or abusive actions. Take time to repent of your sin, and then make things right with the people that you have offended. Do this as soon as possible.
Memorization
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (NIV).
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