This is day 4 in a blog-series about rejection, day 1 can be found here.

Today, I want to talk about keeping things in perspective. Because the truth is, if we let the pain of rejection fester… we can wind up seeing things not as they really are.

Similarly, if we are scared of rejection, we might do all we can to avoid it… putting our fear above our obedience to God. As a result, we may walk away from God, little by little. Ignoring His voice and doing what we think will keep us safe.

If you resonate to any of the above – don’t read this post as judgement. I have 3 points that I want to make, which will hopefully help you get back on track with God.

Rejection can… impair your vision.

When I think of a story in the bible about loss of vision, I think of Saul on the road to Damascus.

Saul persecuted Christians. He was actively against those that followed Jesus and sought to have them put to death.

Yet, the bible tells us a story of Saul, travelling to Damascus. His intention in journeying is to find Christians and persecute them for their faith.

Jesus stops Saul in his tracks. The bible says:

Then [Saul] fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Acts 9: 4-5, NIV.

It continues:

Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. 

Acts 9: 8, NIV.

Like Saul, when we take our eyes off God, we can end up doing crazy things! We end up blind to the truth of what we are doing.

If we stay solely focused on rejection – without lifting our eyes to God – we can end up staying trapped in hurt. We can wind up being bitter. But, more to the point: we can end up on a path that God never had for us. We can end up missing out on life.

I don’t know who I’m talking to today, but if you have allowed rejection to make you so focused on what others are doing and thinking of you – it is time to stop. You are absolutely missing out on a better life.

Don’t become blind to the reality of what you are doing. Take a second today to pray for God’s perspective on your life. Are your eyes really on Him? Or are they locked in on a certain situation or emotion? Do you have a clear lens?

Rejection can… stop you from hearing God.

The bible says:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10: 27, NIV.

Therefore, if you follow Jesus, you can hear His voice. It might not be an audible voice from heaven. It might be a still, small niggle inside of you. You might feel that certain parts of the bible jump out at you, when you are reading.

You may feel prompted towards something, or maybe you get a sense about a right or wrong decision. A friend may say something to you that just stands out to you.

All of these ways are examples of how God speaks. He never contradicts Himself, so if your ‘niggle’ doesn’t match up with the bible, it is not God.

Yet, sometimes we are prompted by God. Sometimes, we have a phrase or a bible verse in our minds that we just can’t shake… yet we don’t like what we are hearing.

When it comes to rejection; you might not want to forgive someone who has hurt you.

You might not want to step out in faith, because you know you will be rejected, even though God is asking you to move forward.

Let’s be honest: Sometimes, we just don’t like what we hear God saying.

So take a second to say to God: open my ears, Lord. Whatever it is that I don’t want to hear, let me hear it loud and clear now.

Once you have prayed the above, pause for a moment.

Be aware of what you are prompted to think about. If you are not sure it is God, check with a friend. Does it line up with the word of God?

Rejection can… ruin your sense of taste.

The psalmist writes:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34: 8, NIV.

Each and every moment of every day; God has something good for us.

That is because He is good. He is peace. He is light. He is abundant life. He is mercy. He is grace. He is LOVE!

There is nothing better in this world than the love of God.

Maybe you’ve been disconnected from the love of God. You feel rejected by people and you’ve focused on that rejection so much that you have forgotten how loveable you are.

Because, you are loveable. That is the truth.

The bible says:

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19, NIV.

I want you to know that whatever has happened to you, wherever you are – you are loved. And you can taste and experience that love through knowing Jesus. Ask Him to encounter you with His love. In other words: tell him you want to experience his love in a new and fresh way today. Be expectant that He will answer your prayer in a way that is personal to you.

I have a cheesy quote that is above my kitchen window:

“Always believe that something good is about to happen.”

My husband bought this print when we were looking for a house. We put in offers for 4 houses, only to get rejected every time. We were feeling pretty negative about the situation, but one day my husband remembered that God is good. Things changed from that point and we ended up in a house that isn’t in the area we were originally looking at. It is a better financial decision and the location we are in is perfect for us. When we stopped focusing on our rejection and started remembering God’s goodness, He was able to take control and work a miracle in our lives.

Now, when I am washing up, I catch a glimpse of this quote and remember God’s faithfulness and goodness in my life.

Can you write a list of positive things that God has done in your life? Can you turn your focus to remembering how great God is, rather than how bad rejection is? If you need to, write out a quote or a bible verse that will allow you to remember God’s love and pin that quote somewhere visible.

Conclusion

Rejection can rob you of living in the fullness of God. You were made to see, hear and experience a good and faithful God, every single day.

Maybe rejection has altered your perspective, or taken you off-course? You used to be full of faith, but now you feel cynical or fed up. Don’t stay in that place!

God’s got good stuff ahead of you. He is good stuff! Trust in Him and you will not be disappointed.