Rejection

A few months back I got a phone call I'd been waiting all day for. A call from my professor to see if she would give me the C that I needed or the C- that would cause me to loose my scholarship. It was the slightest crack in the doorway of a dream.

I was hesitantly excited. When you have wanted something and it comes close to becoming a reality, it's thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. Suddenly, your heart shifts from neutral into this vulnerable place where acceptance co-mingles with rejection. And you are all too aware things could go either way.

Following the call, I sat and cried.

Then I waited.

And waited.

And nothing.

Feeling like a foolish girl who'd bought a prom dress before actually being asked to the dance, I sat and pondered what I did wrong to deserve this. I asked why. I became angry and bitter.

Ouch.

That's when you go sit on your back deck, close your eyes, and decide whether to let the tears slip quietly down your cheeks or blink them back in an act of courageous defiance.

Rejection stinks.

I mean it really stinks.

It stunk when Brian didn't ask me to prom our junior year. It stunk when my ex boyfriend decided he didn't want to be with me. It stunk when I didn't get accepted to the day nursing program. It stunk when I had to detour the first time from my dreams. And it stunk when I sat on my deck and processed this current situation.

Sometimes things like this just simply stink and there's no cheery rainbow or pot of gold around the next corner. The music doesn't crescendo as the hero in the story scoops you onto the side of his horse and the two of you ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after.

Sometimes it just is what it is. And that's that.

But us as God's kids have a beautiful promise tucked in our pocket that lets us smile even when tears puddle in the corner of our eyes. Even when there's no rainbow, pot of gold, or galloping prince, we have the promise of redemption.

On the other side of every death there will always be a resurrection of some sort. Maybe not a resurrection of our circumstances. And maybe not a resurrection of things lining up like we thought they should. But there will be a resurrection. Jesus has insured that.

Nothing in this world can permanently strip hope from our lives when we know we do not follow cleverly invented stories…about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we follow the reality of the Risen One 2 Peter 1:16. He is our resurrection.

He is our hope.

He is that beautiful reminder that rejection from man never means rejection from God.

And He is the one who is weaving a story into our life that will one day make sense.

Father God, I know You suffered the sting of rejection in a much more intense way than I ever will. And while this rejection is small in the grand scheme of life, it feels huge in my heart right now. Will You help me process this? Will You help me see past it? Will You let this fragile heart feel the warmth of Your acceptance and love today?