Responding to Rejection- Part 2

Rejection is inevitable. Not everyone is going to like your presence. Not everyone is going to agree with you. Not everyone is going to accept you! And it’s okay! Rejection at one point in my life led me to a very dark depressed state. A state of loneliness, a state of self isolation that became comfortable and somewhat desirable. I would choose to distance myself from everyone. I pushed people away on purpose. Yes….people! Due to hurt and rejection! People that I had thought would never do me wrong. People I thought were here to love me and care about me. When I ran to Jesus I was broken, rejected, depressed and hopeless. Jesus not only accepted me as his child but gave me hope, cleaned me up, refined my spirit, and gave me a new life in him! I am no longer a victim but a VICTOR because he saved me and gave me purpose! I had to stop pushing him away. I had found myself as a person of resistance and God broke down those walls of resistance. Jesus filled me up with love and joy! Something that no person on Earth can do! 

“Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 

You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; 

You spared me from going down to the pit”~ Psalms 30:2-3  

As stated in Part #1 of Responding to Rejection our response can determine “victim” or “victory”over our situation! Think about how YOU respond when someone rejects you. 

The third response to rejection that I will be addressing is one that is very common in today’s youth and young adults and that is conformity. Conformity is basically when we try to change who we are and behave in a way that is socially accepted! Wow the power of TikTok, SnapChat, Instagram and filters! Post from people that we may never meet in our lives face to face but yet we try to “fit in” with the newest trend and act in a way that you would normally not act. This is when people tend to do things to get attention or conform to the newest trend because they do not want to feel rejected! 

When you respond to rejection by trying to change who you really are, this is detrimental to your identity. You start to like things that you normally would not like. You start to do things that you normally would not do but want to feel acceptance by that person, or that friend or even that follower on social media! Your appearance starts to look different, the way you talk may even change without you recognizing it. You try to conform to the expectations of others, maybe taking on bad habits (smoking, cussing, socially drinking, risk taking, sexual immortality, etc.). 

In the book of Romans, Paul addresses conformity to the Christian Church in Rome! Yes, the Christians. You know those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and chose to be a follower and make disciples of Christ. How can this properly take place in our lives if we are dealing with an identity crisis, trying to be someone the world would like! 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will” ~ Romans 12:2   

Be yourself! God made you unique for a reason. He made you for a purpose on purpose. God is the potter; we are the clay! Your clay may not form like mine and that's okay! God gave us all different gifts for a reason. 

“If you live for people’s acceptance,  you’ll die from their rejection” ~Lecrae 

The fourth response to rejection is: Anger. You know... like that anger that rises up inside of you like a burning bush. Responding to rejection in anger is that mentality that you do something to hurt that person that rejected you. A very common example of this is a school bully. That kid that picked on you time after time and finally you blew up and let them have it! Or that feeling of rejection when you're the last one picked on the team and no one really wants to claim you. It’s that mentality of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. What they do to you, you do it too! Believe it or not this may be more of a common response to rejection that you may like to admit. 

Hurt people...hurt people! Let’s stop this destructive cycle. If you are hurting because of rejection do not take your anger out on someone else. This will not make things any better. It is not going to set you free from feeling rejected. It is not going to save you or anyone else. It is like adding fuel to a fire. 

Rejected people...reject people! The mentality of, “I am going to reject you before you have the opportunity to reject me!! This is a relationship destroyer. 

In Matthew 5:43 Jesus is speaking to his disciples; 

 “You have heard that it was said, “love your neighbor” and “hate your enemy” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven.” 

Jesus takes time to specifically point out that what they (the disciples) have been told in the past of hating your enemy is no longer a characteristic of being a son or daughter of our father in heaven. He clearly instructs them to LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and PRAY for the people who persecute you (dislike you, cause you harm). 

Peter states in the New Testament;

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” ~ 1 Peter 4:8 

Love covers a multitude of sins!! If someone rejects you, love them anyway. Pray for them...that God touches their heart! How about this thought… Jesus loved you when you rejected him!!! Wow… that is powerful to me. I was that girl that rejected Jesus because of unbelief and doubt. But yet Jesus still loved me…..that is the power of the cross. That Jesus forgave those who beat him and persecuted him and even died for them too! He knew they were people who were entrapped in their sins of pride, lust and divination. But yet he still chose to love them and show all people love by shedding his blood on the cross for their sins. That’s what love looks like. That is the LOVE that covers a multitude of sins! A love that is selfless, a love that is beyond expecting in return, a love that is God’s love!  

The fifth and final response to rejection: Jesus’ response. Jesus knew his identity, his purpose and he stood on God’s word and didn’t let the rejection determine his direction!! Jesus continued to heal, preach, teach, cast out demons, regardless of who accepted him and rejected him! Because it was God’s will for his life!! 

Stop letting rejection determine your direction!

Pull that feeling of rejection out of you from it’s roots and let the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ fill in that void today! If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do that today! You can ask him to enter into your heart right now by saying this prayer!

“Dear Lord Jesus,

I admit that I am a sinner and I ask for you to forgive me and cleanse me. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and arose from the dead. I turn from my sins and ask you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Amen!”

Now you have invited Jesus into your heart and life. The most important relationship of your entire life can now begin. I urge you to get connected to a church who believe that Jesus is the one true king and a group of believers who will love you and help keep you accountable. Get to know about your Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit will begin to guide you as his word, The Bible will be a light to your path!

We all will face rejection in different times throughout our lives. Remember what Jesus did! Allow yourself to properly heal from rejection and strive to love those who hurt you! Bless them! Your direction in life will no longer be affected by those around you. Allow the Lord to direct your steps and Holy Spirit be a light to your path!