Over the past few months, I’ve experienced some rejection (nothing terrible I assure you), and my thought reactions did not glorify Jesus. I wanted to justify myself to feed my own pride. For me, rejection is hard to deal with. I love it when people love me, and I crater when people don’t. I assume I’m not the only one out there with such issues, so I figured I would relay some godly counsel given me by some godly brothers and Scripture. I hope this is of help to anyone reading who is suffering or has suffered rejection.
1. “You can say far worse things about yourself than anyone else can.” (Thank you Dave Ainsworth) – As weird as it sounds, this was comforting to hear. For some reason we get offended when something negative is said about us, as though nothing worse could be said. In fact, worse things could be said. To steal from Derek Webb (the House Show album), if we walked around with a T.V. that broadcasted all our thoughts for everyone to see, we’d be mighty embarrassed; shamed into hiding. We confess such things all the time in prayer and to other Christians (or at least we should be). Why should we take offense now? Is this not the offense of the cross? We were dead in our sins, unable to do anything for ourselves. Christ had to die because of our wickedness. If we are spoken of negatively, we should be able to answer, “You haven’t the slightest idea of the magnitude of my sin.”
2. Christ, in his perfect righteousness, suffered the shame of being considered a criminal and a sinner. – “He who knew no sin became sin our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” Jesus knew no sin, and yet he bore the curse of a sinner. And he did it for the good of others. Because Christ has done this for us, we too can embrace a similar role, albeit lesser. For starters, we are not sinless. Secondly, we cannot die for anyone the way Christ did. But we can die to ourselves for the sake of others. We can die to having an impeccable reputation. We can die to our desire to be liked. Often feelings get hurt and that can get in the way of selfless ministry to the very people who have wronged you.
3. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” – It is God who justifies. This can apply two ways: a) The reason for rejection, or what is said about you, is accurate. Repent if it’s a situation in which repentance is needed. If it’s not, then don’t. But either way realize that God justifies, not people. b) The reason for rejection, or what is being said about you, is inaccurate. But, your reputation/rapport with others does not justify you before God anyway. You can be o.k. with it, resting in the work of Christ alone.
4. You signed up for it. – Jesus clearly told his disciples that they would be rejected if they followed him. Jesus – a.k.a. God – was/is hated by the world. He is worthy of being not just liked and accepted, but worshiped. As a man he healed people, fed people, loved people, and spoke only truth. And yet he was despised. How much more shall his followers be maligned? We have indwelling sin AND we follow Jesus — the God-man who is hated. We should expect rejection.
5. The degree to which we experience rejection here is nothing compared with the degree to which we’ll experience eternal acceptance and love before the throne of God. – God has done everything necessary in Christ to bring us to himself for all of eternity. There we will find, and indeed we presently have, perfect love and joy.
6. Jesus loved us “while we were yet sinners.” – If you did something to bring about rejection, realize that Jesus loves you in your sin and shortcomings. If you did not, realize that Jesus loves the people who wronged you in the midst of their sin and shortcomings (and be thankful for that). He calls you to love them as well.
Posted by Brandon 
Posted by Bret 
Posted by Bret 
