Rejection: The Great Side of It

"The devil will always try to use rejection to keep us from moving forward."


That's what a Joyce Meyer Ministries post at Facebook stated this morning and this is how one woman commented:

"I think rejection is God's protection. If someone rejects me, it's
because God is protecting me from them. That's just how I see it."

Wow, I love the clarity and truth of that. I immediately recalled the various friends and relatives who've rejected me, said adios forever, and nearly all were negative, critical, pessimistic Christians and do I really want that kind of influence?


Uh, no.


Do you know what the name, 'Debra', means? It means this:


"Bee: seeker of the sweet in Life."

And in one place I read, "People with this name tend to be creative and excellent at expressing themselves. They are drawn to the arts, and often enjoy life immensely."

So honestly, this Debra, especially, doesn't have time for the people-haters, the rigid, the no-fun-look-on-the-dark-side-non-changers. Why risk absorbing all that poison? And why become upset when a hater rejects me? God is only doing me a favor, making certain nothing hinders me from carrying out His specific purpose and helping me live this vital verse:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."   ... Proverbs 4:23

So today I'm thanking God for helping me guard my heart and for his protection, even when it felt more like grief. If my times are truly in His hands--if I've honestly given every part of myself to Him--I'll remember that He knows best...

... and I'll be at peace with His ways, even when they're not exactly mine.

And of course, sometimes our friends (and we, also) just go through crazy, what-the-heck? phases, then calm down and return to truth--and old friendships. And that's great, too.


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