Overcoming Rejection

I Peter 2:9- "But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted".

Life is about going for things and making progress towards becoming who God created us to be. But when we progress forward rejection is always a possibility along the way. Rejection is the opposite of acceptance and the above Scripture says we are chosen by God! There is a high calling on all of our lives and we have been chosen to be holy people, instruments in the Hands of God. We must be willing to speak out  for Him and share what He's done for us. His Love and Grace has called us out of rejection and into acceptance, from nothing to something. I like that!

If we begin viewing rejection through a filter of "being rejected doesn't mean I'm not loved or valued, but it simply means that there have been times in different situations that something didn't work out as I planned it". Then you can move yourself from obsessive rejection to healthy observation.If you get rejected ... acknowledge it, be honest with yourself. Coping with rejection involves two things:

• How you feel?
• What you think?

These two elements working together will determine how we respond to rejection.It's important that we don't brush it off, make excuses and pretend it's not painful. It is painful! When you experience rejection, take notice of the intense feelings you're having. Were you upset alot or just a little? Did you struggle with anger, resentment, maybe even frustration? Another thing I encourage people to do is ... cry if you need to! Crying is a great way to release emotions. Next thing you can do is: "name what you're feeling", is it sadness, is it disappointment, did you feel left out? Acknowledge your feelings so you can move beyond your emotions. Release them!

Dwelling on the negative can cause you to live out the experience over and over again. Negative thinking also influences and affects our expectations, as well as how we act. If not kept in perspective it even has the potential to bring about even more rejection. When you're giving yourself an explanation of what took place during the time you felt rejected, stick to the facts. Don't overemphasize anything. Keep things in proper perspective.

Think about things you are good at and what's good about you. Recall different times in your life when you were accepted and valued. Think about all the people who love you and support you. Give yourself credit for trying. Use rejection to your advantage, because in all of us there is always room for improvement! :)

Until next time,
be blessed!
Tracy Trussell
Window To Healing
623-882-2509