— Spiritual food for today —

Rejection Rx

If you’ve never been on the receiving end of a cayenne-tipped barb from within your most trusted circle, you have extraordinary friends, rhino skin ... or your pulse rate has dropped below that which sustains consciousness.  The obvious inference being, rejection is a part of life.  Of course, you knew that.  Zziinngg ... thump ... aargh!  Excruciating pain; like surgery without anesthesia.  The sun darkens, lightning flashes, ego is thunderstruck, trust stands aghast and our "flesh" bleeds ... for openers.

It’s at this point victims peel off in different directions.

One well traveled route is to lash out in counter attack.  “Vengeance is mine,” saith the injured ... as they strap on an extra layer of callous and slug down a bottle of bitterness.  Another path leads to figurative fetaling and thumb-sucking, often followed by withdrawal from intimacy; a hunkering down to preserve self.  Then, there’s the less traveled road that Jesus commends: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Mt 5:44).

In the remote possibility you’re still unscathed, be forewarned that the arrow of injury will likely be launched from a trusted bow.  The infantry calls it “friendly fire” (really!).  War was long ago declared on God and His own and Paul reminds that the battlefield is in the spiritual realm.  Therefore, warfare must be waged accordingly: “we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds) ... For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (2Cor 10:3b,4; Eph 6:12).  (You know all this also.)

Rx?  Looking to JESUS: He Who suffered rejection beyond the bounds of mortal grasp; being “... despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa 53:3a).  By virtue of HIS rejection, those who bow their knee to His lordship and follow by faith, will find strength to overcome.  Attendant to bringing our wounded heart and rejection pain to heaven's throne, is God's promised mercy and grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:14-16).  Jesus both forewarns and encourages by reminding that rejection is a disciple distinctive.  Recall what happened to Peter, et al for proclaiming Christ?  They were arrested and hauled before the Council, then beaten.  How's THAT for rejection?  But, what did they do?  "... they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" (Acts 5:40b). Thus "encouraged," they went right back to preaching.

Though reciting so many things you KNOW, surely, you don’t mind hearing again that God loves you with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3) ... that He will never, EVER leave or reject you (Heb 3:5) ... and that He loves you just the way you are (although His goal is that Christ be fully formed in you).  Dear friend, He WILL heal our wounds ... IF we but call off the pity-party and call on the Saving Party (doing typically eclipses merely knowing).  He's our Salvation, our Stay and reason for rejoicing; our ever-faithful Protector and Healer (Ps 18:18, 91:2; 1Pet 2:24).

Ah! ... MUST share a related scripture that first ministered to me in June of 1976, when woefully rejected and dejected: "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1Pet 1:6,7).  As a result, that day I descended from the Sangre de Christo ("Blood of Christ") mountains in northern New Mexico, greatly encouraged.  Having been Spirit-quickened to that verse was nothing short of a hug from God ... which I sorely needed.  Rejection stabs the heart.  But when so gored for standing with the Lord, it becomes a badge of distinction.  Wear yours proudly!  We're praying for both of us.

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