Friday Fight 98 - Rejection to Redirection

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF98.

We all go through ebbs and flows of life; it is inevitable. However, within this cycle, we can also look back at the patterns in our lives to see precisely where circumstances created feelings of rejection. After long-term exposure, these feelings may have taken root and hindered our personal or spiritual growth. So how do we find peace after being rejected?

Rejection to Redirection:

Through God allowing me to pray with many people, I have learned that being wounded by rejection creates an impactful scar that many people carry. We all experience varying degrees of rejection; physical, emotional, or spiritual. But, if not dealt with, it leaves an open door to depression, anxiety, and even a fear of being further rejected (FEAR- false evidence appearing real). To complicate the pain, rejection scars place a lens over our eyes that dictates how we perceive everything. So even when we are not being rejected, our scars, skewed perspective, and fear combined cause us to continue believing otherwise. Rejection can feel continuous, or waves of swell and can resurface at unexpected times.

For this lesson, imagine rejection as a lonely murky island filled with contaminated soil, and small storms all which hinder growth. Imagine whatever placed us there is continually beating us down into the soil of the past. Now envision a bridge leading from rejection to a wide-open area with possibilities in multiple directions. Finally, the only bridge to freedom passes over a large canyon that would take ample time to maneuver if chosen.

God leads us from rejection to redirection through this bridge which contains three phases. In phase one, we experience repentance which enables our bridge access. Next, in phase two we must trust God to combat the fear of enduring rejection again. Facing others after being rejected can be paralyzing. When we are rejected, the deepest part of our soul cries out in despair. Repentance and trust move us to the bridge's final portion, God healing our hurts. Our Creator walks with us from rejection through repentance then building trust in Him to continually heal us. Through community and those God will strategically place, we leave this painful area, humbly surrender, then walk toward a new direction God has for us. In the freedom of redirection, God has already placed others to walk beside us in whatever area He leads.

Walking from rejection to redirection means we have chosen to be guided through healing and potentially become a cycle breaker rather than passing our scars of rejection onto future generations.

Darkness thrives in rejection to further our isolation and whatever else offered to appease the pain. Look at rejection as a colorless island surrounded by swampy water. You can stay, but it is not spiritually healthy. Growth on top of rejection produces contaminated fruit that takes much longer to grow. Therefore, Satan will always promote that less exposure to people means less rejection from people to entice isolation believing it is for our survival.

In our life-changing decision to walk in freedom, we need faith to understand how the redirect will benefit us. We do not pick one that negates the other. Instead, we endure one, then give all the hurts and spiraling emotions to God. We then watch how only God can turn the hurt around and use it for His glory. We should not dismiss what has hurt us. Instead, process it, give it to God and then forgive the person or people who rejected us. If not, redirection can take much longer than God planned for us. Welcome the redirection and ability to walk in healing with others in community and be directionally free. God will redeem and redirect and we celebrate His freedom with others.

Pastor Shannon

New Life Calvert