The Feared Rejection
He is for you.
“When facing a season of rejection, fix your eyes on Jesus and hold close to the Father.”
Let’s talk rejection; the dreaded, uncomfortable, “elephant in the room” sort of rejection. At our very core, most individuals do not like this painful sting. Onlookers may discard the collateral damaged emotions as pride. However, the hurt we feel is not often a heart offense as much as a heart desire. People simply want to be loved. We are relational and built to desire being wanted, needed, and mattering. Let us take a brief step back and gain some perspective through a Biblical lens. There are three lessons that we can pull from a season of rejection: obedience, value, and desire.
If you have been on the stage for more than a moment, you will quickly learn that every person does not land the lead (sometimes never), most performers struggle with confidence, and sometimes we accept challenges that leave our self-esteem well… a little shaken. We work tirelessly behind the scenes and bravely risk failure, hoping someone out there will discover our unique potential. Despite the hurt, we love the craft, so we brush our knees off only to scrape them all over again. It’s a myth that performance is all fun and games. It’s hard work.
Did you know that there is a completely Kingdom-minded gem hidden in our pursuits? Obedience. What if we viewed each opportunity to succeed AND each opportunity for rejection, as redirection to follow God’s purpose for our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 12:1-8)? Serving passionately and wholeheartedly with the tools we have been offered becomes a willing choice, rather than a painful endurance. What if we prayed more about God’s provision in the outcome and fully trusted that redirection was for our good and His glory? Redirection may lead to an area where He has specifically called us to serve for a unique, appointed time. What if instead of scoffing, we took pleasure in the work and trusted that He is for us (Romans 8:28)? With our eyes completely tethered to Christ, Kingdom success triumphs over personal success.
Furthermore, our value lies in Christ alone because of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and resurrection into eternity (John 3:16). When the Father looks at His children, He no longer sees our stains. He sees the protective covering of the blood of the Lamb. Once we fully learn to find our complete value in what He has already accomplished, the importance of our hurts, struggles, and, yes, rejections become so small. Christ alone is worthy (Revelation 5:12).
So, what about desire? There is indeed a built-in relational desire. Desire is a good gift from the Father (James 1:17). The struggle arises when our heart’s desires do not line up with God’s desire for us (Psalm 37:4). When rightly postured, the desire to be wanted, the desire to matter, and the desire to be loved are fulfilled wholly in the God who loves us so much that He was willing to lay down His life that we might live (Proverbs 18:24). The relationship we seek after is answered in companionship with Christ. Any other attempt to fill the Christ-shaped void will be found wanting and will most certainly leave us hurt. We were never meant to find our importance in the things of this world, rather we were meant to use the things of this world to shine importance on He Who is Worthy.
When you are facing a season of rejection, fix your eyes on Jesus and hold close to the Father. He is for you.