Thursday, November 5, 2009

Rejection

I receive the Proverbs 31 emails, and even though I don't always read them, today I did, and it really touched me. I have been dealing with many feelings of rejection (my current job, my difficulty in finding jobs, trying to make it in our new reality) and it has been weighing very heavy on my heart. This helped me put it into perspective


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Rejection

Nov 5, 2009 Lysa TerKeurst

"For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance." Psalm 94:14 (NIV)

A few months back I got a phone call I'd been hoping for over 15 years to receive. It was the slightest crack in the doorway of a dream.

I was hesitantly excited. When you have wanted something for a long time and it comes close to becoming a reality, it's thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. Suddenly, your heart shifts from neutral into this vulnerable place where acceptance co-mingles with rejection. And you are all too aware things could go either way.

Following the call, I packaged up my application to send and let my mind prematurely celebrate.

Then I waited.

And waited.

And nothing.

Feeling like a foolish girl who'd bought a prom dress before actually being asked to the dance, I sheepishly called to inquire whether or not my application had been received. I was told it had been and if I hadn't heard anything yet, I should assume it was a "no."

Ouch.

That's when you go sit on your back deck, close your eyes, and decide whether to let the tears slip quietly down your cheeks or blink them back in an act of courageous defiance.

Rejection stinks.

I mean it really stinks.

It stunk when Saxon Palmer didn't ask me to couple skate in the 5th grade. It stunk when my Dad left our family. It stunk when I thought I was getting engaged at the very dinner my college love broke up with me. It stunk when each of my book proposals for years were declined by publishers. And it stunk when I sat on my deck and processed this situation.

Sometimes things like this just simply stink and there's no cheery rainbow or pot of gold around the next corner. The musi c doesn't crescendo as the hero in the story scoops you onto the side of his horse and the two of you ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.
Sometimes it just is what it is. And that's that.

But God's girls have a beautiful promise tucked in our pocket that lets us smile even when tears puddle in the corner of our eyes. Even when there's no rainbow, pot of gold, or galloping prince, we have the promise of redemption.

On the other side of every death there will always be a resurrection of some sort. Maybe not a resurrection of our circumstances. And maybe not a resurrection of things lining up like we thought they should. But there will be a resurrection. Jesus has insured that.
Nothing in this world can permanently strip hope from our lives when we know we do "not follow cleverly invented stories…about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" but we follow the reality of the Risen One (2 Peter 1:16, NIV). He is our resurrection.

He is our hope.

He is that beautiful reminder that rejection from man never means rejection from God.
And He is the one who is weaving a story into our life that will one day make sense.

Dear Lord, I know You suffered the sting of rejection in a much more intense way than I ever will. And while this rejection is small in the grand scheme of life, it feels huge in my heart right now. Will You help me process this? Will You help me see past it? Will You let this fragile heart feel the warmth of Your acceptance and love today? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

4 comments:

katie said...

1. I'm glad you posted.

2. I'm glad you posted THIS.

I especially like this line "He is that beautiful reminder that rejection from man never means rejection from God."

Praise God! Miss you friend. Thinking of and praying for you.

melissa said...

Love you and I'm praying for you! Hang in there!

Q, La, and Gooner said...

Oh this is perfect. Rejection is so difficult! Ahhhhhhhh, keep your head up sistah!

wife.mom.nurse said...

I too am so thankful for that hope.

I am sorry you have gone through so much rejection. So painful...

If you care to share, i would love to know what topics you books are?

If not, don't think twice about this inquiry :)