Daily devotional, July 19, 2024 Grace to reject
"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
John 15:18
We all fear rejection. At least at one or several points in our lives, we have experienced it, and it is unpleasant, and sometimes even traumatic. We may have felt rejected by our own parents, our siblings, classmates, peers, a potential romantic partner, in-laws, or even our own spouses.
As followers of Jesus, we should take these rejections as redirections. It should not be treated as a fence that disallows us to move past the discouragement before us. We are meant to hurdle it and move on. We must remember that even our Messiah has experienced it, and since we are his servants, we too cannot be exempted from such a heartache.
"Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."
John 15:20
And since we know that even Jesus experienced it, all the more we can trust that He will heal us. He knows how it feels to not be accepted (John 1:11), He knows how it is to be betrayed (John 13:21) and so He can definitely commiserate and we can count on the comfort He will give.
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15
Besides, if we believe that our Heavenly Father is sovereign, it means that even the rejection we experienced is part of His plans for us. Probably it is meant to redirect us into the path he wants us to be in. Maybe it is meant to build our character. Maybe, it is meant for us to seek Him, and learn to be fully dependent on Him.
“Thus says the LORD: ‘The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.’” Jeremiah 31:2-3
And as we lean on the comfort that Jesus gives, let us look back into our lives and reflect about the times we have rejected others. Who are these people we have excluded from our circle? Who are these people whom we did not accept? Who are they whom we chose not to help?
The Bible tells us, we should reach out to them, and if that’s not possible anymore, then maybe we can at least pray for them. We should also ask for God’s forgiveness for not showing His love towards others by rejecting them.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Colossians 3:12-13
And speaking about rejection, it is not all bad. There are things that we need to reject, and we have to ask the Lord for the grace to reject them. These include sins, worldly pursuits, bad company, and wrong teachings. As we grow in the grace of the Lord, may we be able to discern more what is good for us, and what is good for our families.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on John 15:18-25 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you still affected by a rejection that you have experienced? How are you coping with it?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for encouraging me to move on past the rejections that I have experienced. Thank you that I can trust in your sovereignty and the good plans that you have for me. Please allow me to stay in your presence and remain confident of your love. Amen.
