No matter what "level" of rejection we have experienced in life, the result is always the same: Pain. Scars. Memories. An erosion of any kind of self-confidence. An increased skepticism to continue trusting those closest to us in life anymore. And even if the rejection I have experienced was just a one-time act, it seems like that feeling is the one that wants to hit me in the face every single morning when I wake up. It seems like that's the alarm clock Satan chooses to wake me up with - "You weren't good enough."
Why is the pain of rejection so deep? Why does it linger so long? I believe that it's in our very nature as humans to want to be "accepted." Think about it - we go through life, searching for & longing to belong - to someone, to something. Some find their acceptance within their family. Others find it within sports, where they belong to a team. There are all kinds of places where people find their acceptance - in the military, in any given career, in a marriage relationship, in a church, a band, a book club - the list is almost endless. Is this wrong? Well, I think about what I find in Genesis, during the days of creation - God created Adam...then he decided it was not good for man to be alone - so he gave him Eve. They found their "acceptance" in each other (along with their fellowship with God in the garden). And an even more compelling argument is to look at God Himself - who exists in a triune Godhead - 3 distinguishable persons, yet indivisible in nature. 1 God, 3 persons in perfect harmony & fellowship with each other (or with Himself, I guess) - a "community" existing within the person of God, if you will. And we were created in the image of God - it was in the design of creation to enjoy community with each other; with other people. And this is why, I believe, rejection brings so much pain. It's in our nature to desire acceptance...and it hurts when someone throws it back in our face.
I think it goes without saying, that this is something I have been dealing with the last few weeks & months. I'll think I've moved past it one day, and then the next day it doesn't leave the forefront of my mind. One recent act of rejection in life can cause your mind to go back through & remember every other form & level of "rejection" you have ever faced, and it can really bring you down low (and that's quite an understatement). And it's in those lowest moments that I feel like nobody in my life understands - for some reason I tell myself that nobody really knows what this feels like, and I wonder if anyone even cares (even though I know that's not true). But it was just the other day that I was going through one of these times, when an extremely familiar verse came to mind, and it triggered a sequence of "connect the dots" in my head.
Hebrews 4:15. The total amount of times that I've either read this verse, had this verse shared with me, or even quoted it myself is...well, who knows, but it will suffice to say that it's a very common, familiar verse for me. And to be honest, when you're facing something tough & someone shares a verse like this with you, it's very easy to just be like, "ok, that's great...but that really doesn't do anything for me right now." But the other day when this verse came to mind, I really started to think about it. The verse says that Jesus can "empathize" with me because He was "tempted in every way, just as we are-yet He did not sin." A lot of people can sympathize with one another...it's a nice gesture, and many times it's the only realistic feeling we can have when someone is going through a situation we've never faced. But this says that Jesus has literally, physically faced every possible situation we have & can empathize with us. He understands. He's been there. So how does this relate to my feeling of rejection? Well...when you start to think about it...it's pretty obvious, isn't it?
- Isaiah 53 - "He was despised and rejected by men..."
- John 1 - "He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him."
- Matthew 27 - "Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
If anyone knows what rejection feels like, it's Jesus. If anyone can truly empathize with feelings of rejection, it's Him. And not only was He rejected by the religious leaders of that day & those who crucified Him...but He is still rejected by billions of people every single day. Nobody has faced more rejection than Jesus Christ.
But here's the best part. Jesus didn't choose to come to earth & face rejection just so that He could "empathize" with me. He didn't willingly take on my sin & experience God the Father turning His back on Him just so that I can be "comforted" that He "knows how I feel." No, instead it comes around full circle. Jesus Christ chose to be despised & rejected by men, so that He could offer acceptance to the same men that rejected Him. And that's me. That's you.
John 1:12-13 - "But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God..."
Wow. Think about that - not only can I go confidently to my great High Priest who empathizes with me, "to receive mercy and find grace to help in (my) time of need"...but when I'm facing those feelings of rejection, I can fulfill my ultimate desire of "acceptance" in Him. The One who took my place, who suffered the death I deserved, who still faces the rejection of the very people He came to save...in order to redeem me from my spiritual death and give me His righteousness. Mind = blown.
Jesus Christ faced ultimate rejection, so that He could offer me divine acceptance.
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