Not Okay Week 2- Rejection

What?

Trying to figure out what's going on in the minds of so many people is one of the most challenging puzzles to solve, and it's made worse by having to figure it out in front of a whole group. Standing in front of a group is a common fear for most people. One main reason is we fear rejection if we fail. Rejection is a pretty powerful motivator. No one likes to go through life feeling rejected. No one likes being let down or having their hopes dashed. However, we can't let this fear of a "no" keep us from living. Just because rejection is a normal part of life doesn't mean we should not think about it. Rejection hurts. How can we learn to deal with it?

So What?

In Mark 6, Jesus sends his twelve disciples on a mission to pray for healing for others and invite people to the good news that Jesus is telling everyone about.

Mark 6:7–12 NIV

Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent.

When we share the good news of who Jesus is, some people will reject us.

So what?! We don’t live to please people.

*Lecrae Slide*

Lecrae said it like this: “You live for their acceptance, you’ll die from their rejection.”

Even though all rejection hurts, the disciples show us that when we have a secure base and anchor of belonging, we can face rejection.

When we sense the unconditional love of Jesus, who sends us on our mission, we can let go of that rejection that life will inevitably throw our way because we belong to the one who matters most.

We will experience rejection at some point in our lives. In Psalm 91:1–2, the psalmist talks about what we can do when this happens.

Psalm 91:1–2 NIV

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

The psalmist helps us see that we can always turn to God as a safe refuge from rejection. God will never reject or leave us, even when others do. God will always embrace us and accept us as we are. We can go out and return as we need because we know that Jesus holds us and keeps us safe, despite our feelings and experiences of rejection. He never rejects us because

When people reject you, Jesus never will.

Now What?

There are a few simple things you can start to do this week that can help you know Jesus never rejects you.

REST IN JESUS:

The next time you are worried or stressed, intentionally think about Jesus and trust that he is a place to rest from the rejection we often experience.

RUN TO JESUS:

When you sense that you are feeling rejected, consider responding to how Jesus called the disciples to respond. Take a moment and return to him as a refuge to be restored and renewed for the journey ahead.

SET GOOD BOUNDARIES:

If you find yourself in relationships where you are frequently rejected, it is okay to set a boundary around that relationship. Jesus asked the disciples to do something similar when he said to shake the dust off their feet. While we are allowing Jesus to break down the defense mechanisms that come with rejection, that doesn't mean we should ignore the source of rejection.

God longs for you, and you deserve to experience being loved and accepted, so remember,

When people reject you, Jesus never will.