Rejection Is God's Protection

"Rejected by men, but chosen by God” ~ 1 Peter 2:4 (NIV)

At some point everyone that has lived has experienced some form of rejection, whether it was a relationship that didn’t work out as we hoped or a job that we really wanted but did not get. Rejection is inevitable, but it is how you interpret and understand the rejection that makes all the difference. Even more important, it’s about what you learn from the experience that has obviously run its course.

Many years ago, I was trying to make sense of my failed relationship with my kid’s father. I sought out the help of a Counselor, hoping that she could help me understand what went wrong. I don’t remember alot of detail from our meetings, but there was one comment that she made that has stayed with me since then, “He did not choose you.” She said that if he wanted to be with me, he would. How’s that for a dose of rejection?

Up until that point, I never felt that I had been rejected; I just thought he needed time to realize what he was missing. But as I played her words back over and over again, I realized he was never coming back, and he never did. Hindsight being 20/20, I now understand that particular "rejection" was really a blessing in disguise.

Some years later, I heard someone say, “Rejection is God’s Protection.” All of a sudden, rejection didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all. I looked back over all the roads I’d traveled that stopped at a dead end, only for me to make a u-turn and begin again. I realized that the roads I had been traveling were only temporary in the grand scheme of things. If I hadn’t been forced to stop and regroup, I would have missed out on so many opportunities that God had for me along the way and certainly wouldn’t have grown into the woman I am today.

I now understand that the people we encounter along this journey are simply our tour guides that help us to understand where we are and direct us to where we need to go. They come into our lives for a reason, and sometimes only for a season. We have to know that when something doesn’t work out as we hoped or planned, it doesn’t mean that something is wrong with us or that we are being punished for something we did wrong. It means that God has something greater in store. I really do believe that rejection is God’s way of getting our attention so we can lean on Him, trust Him, and be ready to receive and appreciate the blessings that he has in store for us.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.” ~ Romans 8:28 (GWT)

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey…

God Bless!