Spectacular Sunday: Let's Focus on Shaking Off Rejection

Image: DogWater 

I don't like rejection. I never have. In fact, I have gone to great lengths over the years to ensure that people don't reject me.

I have said certain things to please some people.

I have not said certain things to please other people.

The slightest hint of rejection (some of it even imagined, I'm sure) used to send me reeling as I tried to figure out what I had done to offend someone and what I could do to fix it.

I thought I had made some progress in this area in recent years, but then I met Amy.

Gary and I stopped to visit his mom at assisted living one afternoon. She was in the dining room with a group of ladies, playing cards. We stood and watched them play for a couple of minutes, and then I noticed a furry face next to the lady helping them play. She had brought her dog with her.

I locked eyes with the big animal and smiled.

The dog stared back and then moved a bit.

I made a comment about how much I love dogs, and then I moved around the table toward it.

The dog darted behind its owner. I dropped to the floor, expecting the dog to come greet me. Instead, the beast braced itself, bared its teeth, and growled menacingly.

"Amy!" its owner scolded. "She just wants to pet you!"

The dog growled again. I'm smart enough to know that Amy did not want to greet me, so I stood up and moved back around the table. 

We kept watching the ladies play cards, and listened to their shocked comments as the cards flew. "Wow, I've never seen her do that before!" "Amy, why did you growl at that lady?"

I may have been imagining it, but I thought I sensed a little suspicion in their glances. What did Amy know about me that they didn't?

The hand was soon over and we went to the room with Gary's mom. I joked about feeling rejected as we walked. Part of me wanted to go back and talk to Amy's owner and pet that dog, but I let it go.

Sure, rejection stung, but I also realized that I've come a long way in recent years. Whereas before I might have thought "What's wrong with me?" when something like this happened, this time I thought, "What the heck is wrong with Amy?"

I was able to shake off rejection quite easily because I was more secure in my sense of self-worth. I know I'm a person that loves animals, so I could shake off Amy's rejection as silly and unfounded.

If only it were that easy to shake off rejection when it comes from our fellow humans. For some reason, when another human rejects us, we sometimes take on that feeling of unworthiness and shame, even when it's silly and unfounded.

We have to be willing to look at ourselves honestly and make some changes if needed, but often the problem is more with the other person than with us.

When we're secure in our worth, it's easier to shake off rejection. 

Jesus Christ died for us. He endured a shameful, painful death on a cross to pay for our sins. Just accepting and believing that can increase our sense of self-worth.

We realize that we are incredibly valuable and we are enough, no matter what anyone says.

You hear that, Amy?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

Do you take rejection personally? How can focusing on God help you to shake it off and remember your true worth?