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rejection
Have you experienced the sting of rejection recently? Rejection comes in all kinds of forms from all kinds of sources. It can be very subtle, and it can be very blatant. I think rejection is one of the hardest things to deal with in life. No one likes rejection.
I know rejection hurts. I’ve had my fair share of it throughout my life so far. The past two years (almost to the day) have brought two major rejections that I honestly never imagined happening. I wrote about how God was using the first major rejection here. That rejection brought forth The Fruit of the Spirit graphic and blogroll. And just today I learned of the second major rejection. I’m still a little shocked about it, and my heart hurts almost to the point of actual physical pain.
There’s something else I know though: God has promised to never leave me or forsake me. Deuteronomy 31:8 reads:
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
It’s hard not to be discouraged when a major rejection happens. Today I have questioned something that I thought was true all of my life. My perception of who I am has been altered. My eyes have been opened to a lie, a deception that I have held as a truth until now. One of my greatest fears has been realized, and my world has been rocked just a little bit.
I’ve shed some tears today. I’m sure I will shed more tears in the days to come. When I was taking classes to earn my Biblical counseling certificate, I learned there are 7 general stages of grief: shock & denial, pain & guilt, anger & bargaining, depression, the upward turn, reconstruction, and finally acceptance. These stages aren’t written in stone, they’re just a general guide of what to expect. When I wrote Fruit last April, I think I was probably somewhere between depression and acceptance. Regarding today’s discovery, I’m all over the chart.
But way deep down inside, at the very core of my being, there is peace, and even joy. I know that God is using this situation for my good. He tells me so in Romans, chapter 8, verse 28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In my post Fruit, I wrote this:
I have a heavenly Father who I can run to with every tear, every emotional hurt, every disappointment. Every time one of those hurts begins to bubble up in me, I can crawl into my Father’s arms, and He comforts me. He reminds me that “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, (and) selfish ambition” are acts of the sinful nature. He reminds me that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature………keep in step with the Spirit.” It doesn’t mean that the hurt is completely gone, but what that gentle reminder helps me to do is to forgive, and every time that same hurt comes bubbling up again, it’s easier and easier to just let it go.
I still believe it. I stand by that statement. I know eventually this fresh wound will begin to heal. I don’t know how long it will take, but I have faith in God. No matter what wounds other people inflict on me, God will never leave me nor forsake me. He promised ~ and I believe without a shadow of a doubt His Word is Truth. His Truth is that He loves me; He goes before me. I need not be afraid; I need not be discouraged. No matter what.
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Trish…wonderful post. We have all been there with you sister. I will pray that the Lord will apply a healing salve to your wounds.
Love you sister,
Jen
Wow.How timely your post was. I love to visit your blog here anyways. But for nearly 6 months, I’ve been in the midst of a situation that I would very much describe as the one you have here. I’ve been praying for joy to return to me thru Christ since. And to help me forgive. And I now feel I’m on the “upward turn” you described above.
God is good. I never thought I’d move past those first few ‘levels’ or what have you.
Thank you for sharing your heart. I know God has used you in this. If not only in my own life. Thanks, Sarah
I KNEW it was time to look you up – my reader kept showing no updates….but that must be because you changed venues. I’ll have to check.
Anyway – I’ve been praying for you a LOT the past two weeks. You are in my heart.
De’Etta @ Choosing Joy’s last blog post..