Rejection Direction

Rejection Direction

Acts 13: ⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

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Feeling down about not getting the position, I sat brooding at the latest rejection. “I really wanted that last one”, I thought to myself. I mean it had everything I wanted, or so I thought. After a couple of weeks, the sting of the rejection was no longer there. About three months later, another company called and mad an offer.

• There have been many times I have been rejected.
• There have been many times I questioned the direction of the rejection.
• There have been many times I kept revisiting what it would be like if I had gotten the thing I had been rejected from.

Paul and Barnabas were rejected by the Jews, who contradicted them at every turn. This probably caused confusion and their leadership would no longer be effective. Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly saying they would preach salvation to people who would not reject them, namely the Gentiles. Cheers came from the Gentiles, who were probably made to feel like an outcast.

• GOD made me a light for people HE sends me to.
• GOD made me a light to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
• GOD made me a light for those who can hear HIS message of love.

Rejection doesn’t feel good, but it definitely changes direction. No longer is that person, place or thing available. GOD does this to provide new opportunities that I would not have thought of. The HOLY SPIRIT patches the wounds of the rejection and guides me to where I was supposed to be in the first place. I am grateful GOD cares for me to guide me to a better place.

• Have you been rejected?
• Is your message still valid but people refused to hear it?
• Will you stop looking back and see the new direction GOD wants you to go on today?

Looking Back

Luke 9: ⁵⁷ Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

⁵⁹ Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹ And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

⁶² But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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Stressful was the only word to describe this particular job. Long days and even longer nights, I toiled to make sure everything was maintained in this politically charged climate. When I left the company after years of fighting, I sat at home, worried about my income. “I miss the perks” I thought. “I remember being sent to an island retreat.” I wonder if they would take me back.

• There have been times when I wanted parts of my sinful lifestyle.
• There have been times when I did not want to accept today so I looked back at yesterday.
• There have been times when I was overwhelmed by current situations so I desired comfortable circumstance.

JESUS gives some very surprising words to those who really wanted to follow HIM. HE basically says “I AM homeless” and “Dead people hold onto dead people and get stuck where they are” and “By looking back, you can never look forward.”

• GOD says to me “Do not worry about your possessions for they will come and go.”
• GOD says to me “Life and death are MINE to own and MY relationship with you is extremely important.”
• GOD says to me “Do not look back on your sinful lifestyle as something to be gained but focus on growing MY kingdom.”

When I experience extreme loss, it feels like I have nowhere to turn. I wanted my “old” life back. BUT GOD wanted something much different. HE wanted me free to serve people and to see that HIS way is far better than mine. HIS word can be spread without money, or family guidance.

HE asks me to trust HIM more and more each day and to let go of the old and focus on the new life HE has for me. HE guides me daily through HIS amazing word.

• Do you feel lost?
• Have you experienced a great loss of possessions and loved ones?
• Will you allow GOD to comfort you by letting go of past possessions, relationships and lifestyles so HE can transform you into a much stronger you?